A deal announced in October between Dexter and AL-KO Vehicle Technology has been finalized. DexKo Global Inc. emerged as the parent company of the combined companies.

We were sad to learn last week of the death of Diane C. Jorgensen. Diane, who is survived by her husband Donald Jorgensen, was with us at several conferences.

The Iowa Board of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences is a defendant in a lawsuit alleging its regulations are a burden on one woman’s right to make a living.

The plaintiff is Achan Agit, a war refugee from what is now South Sudan and a permanent U.S. resident. Achan’s elders taught her to braid when she was 5, and she remains a skilled braider. Earning a living, however, is complicated …

Two member companies are hiring. Openings include a territory manager for a manufacturer and an HR specialist. If you know someone who is not employed by a member company and is looking for career opportunity, pass along this information.

A private investor group that included two members of the Bestway Inc. management team recently announced the acquisition of Bestway Inc. from Rick and Debbie Heiniger.

Key to the acquisition was the retention of Bestway management personnel, with Pat Meenen being appointed President and CEO and David C. Benson as Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Look for stories in the winter issue on changes in the farm equipment marketplace, global trade opportunities, a Spring Conference preview, Obamacare, and data security.
The new issue mails …

The USDA has announced it will begin to offer farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing avenue for farmers to buy and improve property.

Microloans provide up to $50,000 to qualified producers and can be issued to the applicant directly from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Link Manufacturing, Ltd. recently received an award for its 20 years of continuous ISO Quality Certification. SRI Quality System Registrar presented the award in December.

Several member companies have been named 2015 Partner-Level Suppliers by John Deere.The Partner award represents Deere’s highest supplier rating.

Lessiter Media’s Farm Equipment magazine has launched a new series focused on the shortline industry. The series sheds light on business models in which a shortline focus helps dealers satisfy local customers.

Dairy farmers and cattle ranchers in Texas and New Mexico continue to assess their losses after winter storm Goliath wrecked their operations. An estimated 15,000 dairy cows were killed in the storm …

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index rose slightly from December’s weak reading, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in a 10-state region.The January index was 50.9, up from December’s 50.0 and tilting toward positive growth on the zero-to-100 scale.

See more from the economist who will speak to us at the Spring Conference …

We have had several Association members tell us that while the tumbling price of crude oil provides welcome savings at the pump, the ripple effect of a glutted oil market hurts business.

The situation won’t be helped by this past weekend’s removal of sanctions on Iran, whose national oil company gave the instruction to increase output by about . . .

Deere CEO Samuel Allen took a pay cut amid the company’s down financial cycle, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. Allen’s compensation package was reduced by

The online resource Steelworks reports that recent steel production is down compared to last year.

A commentary in a recent issue of the Wall Street Journal challenged the ethanol industry.

Merrill Matthews, a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas, argued that it made economic and environmental sense to replace the 18 billion gallons of ethanol called for in the EPA’s 2016 Renewable Fuel Standards with fossil fuel.

Last week, delegates of the American Farm Bureau Federation from all 50 states elected leaders and approved policies that will help shape the future of agriculture.

Among priorities for 2016 will be issues such as renewable fuels, governmental reform, farm policy, risk management and international trade.

A group of California teachers has sued its union, arguing that the hundreds of dollars a year teachers are required to pay the union represents a violation of their First Amendment rights, because the money goes to support. . .

The USDA recently released an analysis of the agricultural market in China that illustrates the potential and perils of the relationship. This market that represents 17% of U.S. ag exports is showing signs of distress.

I visited with Association members and friends in Iowa recently, and our conversations often led us to the upcoming presidential caucus. It became clear to me that even those who are very involved in the political process, at some point, become tired of the polling, mailings and non-stop negative political ads.

The nature of such intense campaigning and media hype can lead to distorted ideas about what’s happening in the U.S. and around the world. The truth of that goes far beyond politics; it is relevant in the farm equipment manufacturing industry, too.

If we focus only on monthly sales reports or financial statements from OEMs, we see reasons to worry. At moments like this, we must remind ourselves to also see possibilities. I heard a comment from a member years ago that I have not forgotten. He said …

Many of the same conditions that lifted agriculture to new heights from 2007 to 2012 are now combining to deflate it for the years 2016 to 2020, according to David Kohl, a retired ag economics professor at Virginia Tech University. Kohl describes circumstances in agriculture as an “economic reset” rather than a crash, and said this reset has begun.

The Iowa Board of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences is a defendant in a lawsuit alleging its regulations are a burden on one woman’s right to make a living.

The plaintiff is Achan Agit, a war refugee from what is now South Sudan and a permanent U.S. resident. Achan’s elders taught her to braid when she was 5, and she remains a skilled braider. Earning a living, however, is complicated …

A deal announced in October between Dexter and AL-KO Vehicle Technology has been finalized. DexKo Global Inc. emerged as the parent company of the combined companies.

I visited with Association members and friends in Iowa recently, and our conversations often led us to the upcoming presidential caucus. It became clear to me that even those who are very involved in the political process, at some point, become tired of the polling, mailings and non-stop negative political ads.

The nature of such intense campaigning and media hype can lead to distorted ideas about what’s happening in the U.S. and around the world. The truth of that goes far beyond politics; it is relevant in the farm equipment manufacturing industry, too.

If we focus only on monthly sales reports or financial statements from OEMs, we see reasons to worry. At moments like this, we must remind ourselves to also see possibilities. I heard a comment from a member years ago that I have not forgotten. He said …

Many of the same conditions that lifted agriculture to new heights from 2007 to 2012 are now combining to deflate it for the years 2016 to 2020, according to David Kohl, a retired ag economics professor at Virginia Tech University. Kohl describes circumstances in agriculture as an “economic reset” rather than a crash, and said this reset has begun.

A group of California teachers has sued its union, arguing that the hundreds of dollars a year teachers are required to pay the union represents a violation of their First Amendment rights, because the money goes to support. . .

The USDA recently released an analysis of the agricultural market in China that illustrates the potential and perils of the relationship. This market that represents 17% of U.S. ag exports is showing signs of distress.

Deere CEO Samuel Allen took a pay cut amid the company’s down financial cycle, Crain’s Chicago Business reported. Allen’s compensation package was reduced by

Last week, delegates of the American Farm Bureau Federation from all 50 states elected leaders and approved policies that will help shape the future of agriculture.

Among priorities for 2016 will be issues such as renewable fuels, governmental reform, farm policy, risk management and international trade.

A commentary in a recent issue of the Wall Street Journal challenged the ethanol industry.

Merrill Matthews, a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas, argued that it made economic and environmental sense to replace the 18 billion gallons of ethanol called for in the EPA’s 2016 Renewable Fuel Standards with fossil fuel.

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index rose slightly from December’s weak reading, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in a 10-state region.The January index was 50.9, up from December’s 50.0 and tilting toward positive growth on the zero-to-100 scale.

See more from the economist who will speak to us at the Spring Conference …

We have had several Association members tell us that while the tumbling price of crude oil provides welcome savings at the pump, the ripple effect of a glutted oil market hurts business.

The situation won’t be helped by this past weekend’s removal of sanctions on Iran, whose national oil company gave the instruction to increase output by about . . .

Dairy farmers and cattle ranchers in Texas and New Mexico continue to assess their losses after winter storm Goliath wrecked their operations. An estimated 15,000 dairy cows were killed in the storm …

The online resource Steelworks reports that recent steel production is down compared to last year.

Lessiter Media’s Farm Equipment magazine has launched a new series focused on the shortline industry. The series sheds light on business models in which a shortline focus helps dealers satisfy local customers.

Article by Jim Parsons – Chairman of our Associate Supplier Section

Like most things we do, Supplier Associate members of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association find that helping the Association helps manufacturing members enhance their market knowledge and grow their professional network. One of the best ways to get to know your fellow Supplier Associate members and Regular members is to . . .

Several member companies have been named 2015 Partner-Level Suppliers by John Deere.The Partner award represents Deere’s highest supplier rating.

As of Jan. 19, only 22 booths remain available for reservation for the 2016 Supplier Showcase on Thursday, April 7, in Clearwater, Fla.

Link Manufacturing, Ltd. recently received an award for its 20 years of continuous ISO Quality Certification. SRI Quality System Registrar presented the award in December.

The USDA has announced it will begin to offer farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing avenue for farmers to buy and improve property.

Microloans provide up to $50,000 to qualified producers and can be issued to the applicant directly from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Look for stories in the winter issue on changes in the farm equipment marketplace, global trade opportunities, a Spring Conference preview, Obamacare, and data security.
The new issue mails …

A private investor group that included two members of the Bestway Inc. management team recently announced the acquisition of Bestway Inc. from Rick and Debbie Heiniger.

Key to the acquisition was the retention of Bestway management personnel, with Pat Meenen being appointed President and CEO and David C. Benson as Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Two member companies are hiring. Openings include a territory manager for a manufacturer and an HR specialist. If you know someone who is not employed by a member company and is looking for career opportunity, pass along this information.

We were sad to learn last week of the death of Diane C. Jorgensen. Diane, who is survived by her husband Donald Jorgensen, was with us at several conferences.

Low interest rates and limited opportunities for companies to build their bottom lines set the stage for a record-setting year in acquisitions.

The Associated Press reported that Dealogic, a financial data provider, said companies around the world spent $5.04 trillion on acquisitions in 2015.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued the 2016 optional standard mileage rates. The dips in mileage rates for 2016 reflect lower gas prices nationwide. According to AAA, U.S. drivers are paying the lowest average price for regular unleaded gasoline since 2009. On average, taxpayers are paying 79 cents per gallon less than they did in 2015.

Global Payments Inc. has agreed to buy Heartland Payment Systems Inc. for about $3.8 billion, a deal that would expand its reach among mid-size and small merchants, the Wall Street Journal reported.

This week we opened registration for our 2016 Spring Conference in Clearwater Beach, Fla., with a waiting list of members eager to engage and learn from each other in what is not likely to be a record-breaking year for many members.

We can’t think of a better place or a better time to step back from daily manufacturing operations and take a fresh look at the challenges and opportunities of 2016.

With two airports within 20 minutes of our meeting location, direct flights and good connections are plentiful, and many discounted airfares are available now.