An announcement last week that Chipotle Mexican Grill will no longer use ingredients containing GMOs was regarded largely as a move to charm consumers rather than offer genuine health benefits.

Cheesemakers in Wisconsin produced a record-setting 2.9 million pounds of cheese in 2014. More than one in every four pounds of cheese produced in the U.S. came from the state, says the National Ag Statistics Service. Data is supported by our friends at Sentry…

An agriculture economist from Texas A&M University projects trade with Cuba could generate $1.2 billion a year, but success depends upon more than lifting trade barriers.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers has begun a project to adopt a standard for testing positioning and guidance systems in agriculture and satellite-based auto-guidance systems during straight, level travel.

Sukup Manufacturing Co. has announced its acquisition of Dancorn, an exclusive distributor of Sukup products in Denmark.

The American Bankers Association has called for congressional hearings into the Farm Credit System. ABA President Frank Keating, a former governor of Oklahoma, told Brownfield Ag News this month that the system was a product of the Great Depression, and its loaning practices were no longer specific to agriculture.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee last week approved legislation granting presidential authority to negotiate international trade agreements. The bill, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act, or the fast-track bill, gives lawmakers the right to set negotiating objectives but restricts them to a yes-or-no vote on trade deal.

Art’s Way Manufacturing Co., Inc. announced that Marc McConnell has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors.

McConnell has served on the Board of Directors of Art’s Way Manufacturing since 2001 and as Vice-Chairman since 2008. Along with the succession plan previously announced, J. Ward McConnell Jr. was elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. McConnell has served as a director of the company since 1996.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a case brought by farmers from California challenging a decades-old law that requires they surrender to the government a portion of their raisin crop.

Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., challenged that argument: “Could the government say to a manufacturer of cellphones, ‘You can sell cellphones; however, every fifth one you have to give to us.’ Or a manufacturer of cars, ‘You can sell cars in the United States, but every third car you have to give to the United States.’?”

A farm supply business in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is changing ownership after more than 50 years. John A. Burnett, Ltd., described as “an area institution” by Ottawa Community News, has sold the business to Reis Equipment of Carp.

U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced last week the Flexibility to Farm Act to correct what he characterizes as overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency through the Clean Water Act.

“When the EPA wants to regulate mud muddles,” he said, “it’s clear the agency is wading into territory that goes beyond reasonable environmental protection and only adds more red tape for Michigan farmers.”

The Minnesota-based WASP Inc., has signed a letter of intent to buy Fast Manufacturing, a manufacturer also based in Minnesota that produces sprayer and liquid fertilizer applicator equipment.

An Australian farmer tending to his daily tasks recently discovered the gigantic fossilized jaw of a 100-million-year-old sea creature.

Numbers released by Titan Machinery in April showed revenues down for the fourth quarter of FY 2015 compared to the same quarter last year. Overall revenue was 31% lower than the same quarter last year. In breakout categories, the company reported about a 34% decline in equipment sales, a 17% decline in parts, a nearly 19% decline in services, and an 8% decline in rentals.

I can’t help but think that what ultimately happens in California regarding ownership of groundwater—whether municipality or privately owned—will migrate eastward to the Midwest, serving as a template for law,” wrote Jerry Gulke in Forbes. “Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas have had an ongoing controversy over agriculture water rights with regulations of water usage already in place to some degree. One would think it prudent for agricultural residents of those states to keep a watchful eye on the evolution of water rights emanating out of California.”

Agco has lowered its sales expectations for the year and cut its factory hours by 21%.

Agrimoney reported Tuesday that the maker of Massey Ferguson and Fendt machinery told investors its initial sales forecast of a 15 to 17% decline has been revised to a 19 to 21% drop in sales.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts (R) plans to visit Europe in June with the state’s leaders in agriculture and economic development, Brownfield Ag News recently reported.

The North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) announced last week recipients of its 2015 Dealer’s Choice and Gold Level service awards for 2015. The annual awards honor manufacturers who receive exemplary ratings in twelve categories addressed in NAEDA’s Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey.

More than 700 farmers responded to questions from Farm Journal Media earlier this spring. Here’s what they said about how they will reduce expenses.

Nearly 68% will reduce farm equipment purchases. About 44% will postpone non-equipment capital purchases.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has developed a standard for designing and testing drawbar pins on agricultural equipment.

ANSI/ASABE S625, Drawbar Pin Dimensions and Requirements for Towed Equipment, establishes the dimensional and minimum strength requirements for agricultural drawbar hitch pins used in the

A lawsuit has been filed by public utility Des Moines Water Works against three Iowa counties, alleging that tile systems, or underground tubes that route water runoff from fields, channel nitrates into the Raccoon River and pollute a source of drinking water for Central Iowans.

The move so frustrated a lawmaker that he called for constituents to boycott Des Moines. Sen. Randy Feenstra (R) wrote an online commentary saying “I firmly believe that the power of our agricultural community needs to stand up against Des Moines.”

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee approved a bill last week that would crack down on abusive patent demand letters. The Hill reports the bill was sent to the full committee on a party-line vote of 10-7, but is still far from being enacted.

The bill would provide more disclosure requirements in patent demand letters and allow the Federal Trade Commission to fine companies that send abusive letters, which advocates say are a major tool of so-called “patent trolls.”

The Farm CPA Paul Neiffer raised a question recently in the Top Producer about the merits of a dynasty trust—a perpetual trust that could serve as a vehicle to keep farm ownership in families for several generations.

Professor responds, “I can think of no other event or series of events that would be as devastating, long-term, to our economic system, particularly in agriculture, as widespread use of such a trust.”

Ransomware is not new among technological threats but has become more sophisticated. The programs seize your files and encrypt them, then send a message asking for payment. Some ransomware threatens to delete the encryption keys if a company does not respond quickly enough, reports PC Mag.

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that economists are tweaking financial forecasts in response to rising labor costs.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc., told the newpaper: “Quit rates are up, and retention rates are down. That’s when you see wages increasing.”

This week the Louisiana State Senate passed SB-263, a bill which modifies present law dealing with relationships between equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers.

In Oregon last week, the House of Representatives passed HB3164, a bill introduced at the request of the Pacific Northwest Dealer Association that
changes conditions by which farm implement suppliers may, with good cause, terminate, cancel or not renew retailer agreement or change retailers’ competitive circumstance

The House voted 240-179 to repeal the federal estate state. Estate tax bills can force families to sell assets including businesses to raise money to pay the government. The federal tax rate on estates is 40% of the value of the estate, although there are exemptions.

Our Association supports not only the repeal of the estate tax but also the alternative minimum tax. The Association further supports the continuation of a step up in basis at the time of death and increasing the gift tax exemption amount. We continue to supports a tax system that has a balanced approach to taxation that includes fair and reasonable personal and corporate tax rates.

“In a particularly spectacular display of corporate delusion,” Kyle Wines wrote, “John Deere – the world’s largest agricultural machinery maker – told the Copyright Office that farmers don’t own their tractors. Because computer code snakes through the DNA of modern tractors, farmers receive an ‘implied license for the life of the vehicle to operate the vehicle.’”

Numbers released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirm a striking increase in organic farming. While the presence of organic farms is insignificant in the broad agriculture industry, its growth is notable.

Highlights from Association of Equipment Manufacturers monthly Ag Flash Reports for unit retail sales of tractors and combines in the U.S. and Canada.

The Federal Aviation Administration has granted requests from 41 companies seeking to use drones in agriculture.

The FAA is working on a case-by-case basis to authorize the use of drones for commercial purposes until a rule governing use of unmanned aircraft systems is final.

Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc., a member of Farm Equipment Manufacturing Association, just announced it received an FAA exemption to operate Sirius Basic and Sirius Pro for aerial data collection.

Creighton University released survey findings in April that confirmed sales of farm machines and prices for farmland continue to be weak. The report showed negative sales prospects on machinery for the 21st consecutive month, although the index rebounded slightly from its historic low of 15.2 in March to 15.6 in April.

U.S. steelmakers struggling to compete with overseas exporters of the metal are taking their case to Congress. The industry seeks a revision in the way in foreign trade complaints are reviewed.

The domestic steel industry recently has idled 32% of its capacity, according to reports, and U.S. raw-steel output is down 14% this year. U.S. steelmakers are being pinched by a strong dollar, which makes it possible for foreign producers to spend less in production hence net more in sales, and a geographic shift in demand. The U.S. needs more steel as demand levels off in China and remains flat in Europe.

Alamo Group Inc. has named Richard H. (Rick) Raborn as its executive vice president of its North American Agricultural Division. He succeeds Rick Pummell, who retires in May after more than a decade leading Alamo’s Agricultural Division.

PR Week named the film FARMLAND as recipient of the prestigious Arts, Entertainment and Media Campaign of the Year award.

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance supported the 2014 documentary, which debuted in more than 170 theaters and surpassed ticket sale expectations by 84 percent.

Industrial chain provider PEER Chain Company has announced that Arthur Merwitz will return to PEER as power transmission product manager. Merwitz joined PEER Chain in 1996 and served as regional sales manager, OEM sales manager, and vice president of strategic sales. He left PEER in 2012 to pursue an MBA with a focus on international business.

U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) introduced legislation in March to guard against a state-by-state food labeling system on genetically modified ingredients.Residents in nearly 30 states are asking their state leaders to require warning labels on foods that contain these ingredients derived from biotechnology. In response to this movement, Pompeo introduced The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. In a news release announcing the bill, he said a state-by-state labeling system would impede interstate commerce, discourage innovation among farmers, and mislead consumers about the safety of the food supply.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers recently adopted an amended international standard related to rear-mounted, three-point linkages in tractors.

The new standard is ANSI/ASABE AD730:2009 W/Amd. 1:2014 – Categories 1N, 1, 2N, 2, 3N, 3, 4N and 4. It includes link coupler illustrations and hitch data for larger tractors equipped with 45 mm PTO shafts, which were added in the July 2014 Amendment 1 to ISO 730:2009. This adoption replaces the 2012 adoption of ISO 730:2009.

The organizers of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will introduce this year a demonstration-focused outdoor show near Saskatoon.

A member company is interested in establishing a distribution and warehouse location to serve the Midwest and beyond.

Your gift, in broad terms, is to manufacture innovative equipment for farmers. You succeed through your own smarts but also through relationships and knowledge of goings-on in the industry. That is where the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association and I come into play.

I found my niche as a writer and editor, and I joined the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association to spend my days gathering and distributing news relevant to Association members. You and I can work together on this.

Data recently released from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals a continued trend in the textile industry as China becomes less dominant in yarn spinning, a first step in fabric production, and countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia claim more of the industry.

After a year-long review that included 400 meetings across the United States and feedback from more than a million people – farmers, manufacturers, hunters, and anglers – the Environmental Protection Agency, with the US. Army Corps of Engineers, submitted this month a revised Clean Water Rule to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

For the past two years, the farm equipment industry has been watching attempts by local governments in Wisconsin, via the state legislature, to place restrictions on limited use farm equipment on public roadways. They sought a permit process that we believed would not work. We have been involved, with many other industry groups, because it matters to our members and farmers in Wisconsin, and it matters in every state where farmers must move large, modern farm equipment on local roads.

The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association serves as the collective voice of members and provides resources so members can continually learn and engage in industry developments. The Association belongs to you, so it is fitting that you help shape its direction.

Association members serve on committees designed to assure continued success among our 742 member companies. In this issue, we thank the members who give their time to committee work and encourage every member to share suggestions on how the committees can meet their objectives.

A new rule from the National Labor Relations Board that compresses the timeline in which workers can hold union-organizing elections is effective this week.

Opponents have dubbed this the “ambush election rule” because organizers could hold a union election in less than 14 days after a petition is filed. The previous rule called for at least 25 days. The new rule also provides for electronic filing and requires employers to include contact information for workers.

Commodity Classic is offering a new benefit to regular members of our Association: early reservation for exhibit space at the 2016 show in New Orleans, March 3 to 5. Sales do not open to others until June 1.

The General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board issued a memo last week that put a fine point on what is lawful in employee handbooks.

The memo focused on rules related to confidentiality, professional conduct, harassment, trademarks, videography and photography and contacting the media.

This month we thank these companies for their membership in and continued support of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association. We look forward to having these companies – and yours – as members for many years to come.

Australia-based AgDNA has teamed up with the New York-based AgFunder to attract investors to its mobile data analytics platform.

AgDNA is a cloud-based data analytics platform that seeks to put information into the hands of equipment dealers, growers, contractors, and agronomists worldwide.