Highlights of tractor/combine sales are from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Ag Flash Reports. For complete data, go to FarmEquip.org/flash.

An independent truckers’ group asked a federal appeals court panel last week to bar the government from requiring drivers to install devices that log their hours behind the wheel. The electronic logging devices, known as e-logs, will be required in most trucks used for long-haul routes by . . .

U.S. farm programs are expected to provide nearly $25 billion in assistance to help offset the low commodity prices in 2015 and 2016.

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index sank for September and remained below growth neutral for the 13th consecutive month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural communities.
The overall index, which ranges between zero and 100, fell to. . .

Manufacturers of metal-cutting machines are shearing prices amid a global slump in demand caused by lower energy prices and fewer investments in high-tech equipment. Manufacturers offered discounts, extended warranties and other incentives.

A deal the size of the pending $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto merger, even when it’s expected, generates a tidal wave of media coverage and opinion-sharing. We share a few excerpts here.

It is an American Farm Bureau Federation tradition to every four years ask presidential nominees to respond to questions of particular interest to farmers and ranchers.

Among issues put before the candidates this election cycle are food safety, biotechnology, clean water, immigration, and energy.

The federation also asked the candidates about the Farm Bill. In this issue of Shortliner, we include a section of that question and the candidates’ responses.

At the heart of the Marketing & Distribution Convention is the opportunity for manufacturers to meet the people who will get their equipment into the marketplace. Running along a parallel track are informational sessions designed to equip members with the tools they need to lead their operations. Leading those sessions in San Diego:

We were pleased to learn last week that the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of production agriculture by finding that OSHA violated the law when it issued new standards for anhydrous ammonia storage.

The challenging farm economy has contributed to a climate in which companies are considering change: merging, selling, or buying. KCoe, an agricultural consulting and accounting firm, will join members at the Marketing & Distribution Convention in San Diego to offer . . .

The Annual Business Meeting of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. The brief meeting is held as part of the Marketing & Distribution Convention at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie last week vetoed a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour over five years. Thirty states have set minimum wages above . . .

“Fight for $15” minimum wage movement made headlines recently for not paying its field organizers $15 an hour and resisting workers’ effort to unionize.

The median in-network deductible on employer-sponsored PPO health plans increased 50 percent from $1,000 to $1,500 in 2016. Raising the deductible $500, you avoid a premium increase of roughly . . .

Gordon Thomsen, the founder of Trail King Industries, died in August due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 89.

He will be remembered for his business acumen, sense of humor, and generosity.

Member company Maxilator has announced a partnership with Tie Down Engineering. Company says, “. . . partnership will bring immediate design, engineering, manufacturing and financial resources to Maxilator Equipment.”

Farmers are getting less for raw milk, cheese and cattle, forcing them to slash spending, which further complicates the bottom line for . . .

When the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Deere recently, arguing its purchase of Monsanto’s Precision Planting business would give Deere a monopoly in planting technology, we understood. We were disappointed though that what we see as other moves to monopolize the industry go . . .

The world inventory of wheat has climbed from 4.6 billion bushels in 2007/2008 to a projected 9.3 billion bushels in 2016/2017. The world is awash in wheat, and prices will not rise above . . .

Bayer AG’s $66 billion all-cash deal to acquire Monsanto Co will test growing political and consumer unease. Bayer’s pesticide-focused business has few overlaps with Monsanto’s dominant seed franchise. Still, marrying two of the world’s top farm suppliers at a time when rivals are also merging is fuelling concern over reduced competition in the $100 billion global market.

Production applications for 3D printing could eventually grab at least 5 percent of the worldwide manufacturing economy, and translate into $640 billion in annual sales, according to Wohlers Associates, which has tracked the 3D printing market for 28 years.

Titan’s forecast for 2017 anticipates same-store sales in the U.S. ag market falling 17 to 22 percent from 2016.

It may seem counterintuitive to source new vendors during a less-than-stellar market, but this is the optimal time to bridge new relationships. The most significant gains can be found through a greater focus on testing and research, cost-saving opportunities, and thorough review.

The Association invites member executives’ spouses and guests to the Marketing & Distribution Convention in San Diego. The hotel is perfectly located to independently explore the city and San Diego Bay. Registered spouses and guests are welcome to receptions, meals, and any other convention event. And, we’ve planned two unforgettable, optional outings.

A federal judge has limited the scope of litigation seeking to hold Syngenta responsible for damages caused by China’s rejection of genetically engineered (GE)corn in 2013.

The Association welcomed Andrea Schnelten to its office team this summer as director of meetings and member services. Schnelten brings more than a decade of experience in planning events and serving members for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She also manages a family farm in Rockbridge, Ill.

In its long-term budget outlook published in July, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that the labor force participation rate will decline from 63 percent in 2017 to 58 percent in 2046.

Labor groups use minimum wage debate to mobilize in key U.S. Senate races.

Preliminary estimates of agriculture losses in flood-ravaged Louisiana have hit $110 million. The two hardest hit commodities in the state are rice and soybeans, said Kurt Guidry, an agriculture economist for Louisiana State University.

CLAAS of America has entered into an agreement with Agile Manufacturing to provide tractor preparation services for North America. Agile will manufacture local content and prepare machines for shipment at its new facility in Worthing, S.D.

Deere outlined its latest cost-cutting efforts as part of its third-quarter earnings report, which included news that farm equipment sales slipped 11 percent while profits rose 21 percent because of cuts.

Sentry Insurance will host a three-day seminar in October that will help companies plan and implement safety programs. The Principles of Safety Management Seminar is Oct. 18 to 20 in Stevens Point, Wis., which is Sentry’s headquarters.

Recent changes in the way Google does business are affecting agri-marketers. And, because of Google’s dominance in the search engine marketplace, those who market shortline equipment must take note.

The FBI recently warned about a “dramatic” increase in so-called “CEO fraud,” scams in which the attackers spoof an email from the boss and trick someone at the organization into wiring funds to fraudsters. The FBI estimates these scams have cost organizations more than $2.3 billion in losses in the past three years.

The UMMC study found that regardless of work environment or individuals’ work preferences, financial concerns, including job loss, were a major factor in producing stress in employees

This morning, I watched a time-lapse video of the set-up at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. It was a spectacular site for a couple of reasons.

First, as one of the biggest farm shows in the United States, watching it all come together is impressive. Next, seeing the diversity among manufacturers is a reminder of the breadth of the equipment in the industry.

Unfortunately, the breadth of equipment at this farm show, and every farm show is a stark contrast to what many manufacturers will see when they return to their communities. Because of dealer consolidation and the continued push by majors for brand purity on independent dealer lots, farmers have fewer choices at their local farm equipment dealerships.

In this final installment in a series exploring the presidential candidates’ positions on economic issues, we look at trade and globalization.

The 2016 election has kicked off the rawest debate in decades over trade agreements, globalization and the impact of lower tariffs and more open borders on U.S. workers and their wages.

Farmers are driving more than 400 miles to attend auctions selling used farm equipment, and online simulcasts are drawing participants from around the globe, says Matt Maring, owner of an auction operation in Minnesota. He also said farmers are spending $50,000 on replacement tractors that would otherwise cost more than $100,000.

The manufacturing sector is now one of the most frequently hacked industries, second only to healthcare, a new report says.
Manufacturing ranked above financial institutions as a target for hackers.

There’s a shared sentiment among executives whose companies recently released financial statements: The market is down, but we see indications that better days are on the way.

Highlights from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Ag Flash Reports. For complete data, go to FarmEquip.org/flash.

For the first time in this election cycle, most economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal believe uncertainty from the coming election is crimping economic activity.

Long-awaited proposed regulations under section 2704 of the Internal Revenue Code have been released.

They represent significant changes to the valuation of interests in many family-controlled entities for estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax purposes.

ASABE adopts four standards that address the safety and testing of rotary disk, drum and flail mowers.

Three of the documents are international standards, adoption of which “further harmonizes national and international standardization”.

Production numbers for corn, soybeans, cotton, and winter wheat all point upward, according to news last week from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

About three out of four of all U.S. deaths caused by prescription drugs in 2014 were from opioid painkillers. Rural counties saw an average increase in prescription drug deaths of about 9 percent a year from 1999 to 201

Average cropland value in the U.S. dropped 1 percent in 2016, the first drop since 2009, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average cropland value per acre stood at a high of $4,130 in 2015 and dipped to $4,090 this year.

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The Annual Business Meeting of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 1, 2016. The brief meeting is held as part of the Marketing & Distribution Convention at Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego.

Details continue to take shape for the 2016 Marketing & Distribution Convention. We’re thrilled to say a bit more about what you’ll hear in San Diego and from whom you will hear it.