The bill is considered a “skinny” version because many major policy changes—particularly to SNAP—were already made in prior legislation. While supporters argue it modernizes outdated programs and provides needed support to farmers and rural communities, critics say it fails to address rising costs for farmers and maintains significant cuts to nutrition assistance.

House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson emphasized urgency, stating that current policies “are no match for the challenges of 2026,” while Democrats like Rep. Jim McGovern strongly opposed the bill, arguing it “does nothing for our farmers… and is going to make hunger worse in this country.”

Key provisions include:

• $200 million for a new local food procurement program (primarily for food banks)
• Expanded borrowing limits for farmers
• Increased funding for rural mental health and substance abuse programs
• Shifting oversight of foreign food aid programs to USDA

The bill also removed a controversial pesticide liability protection provision during debate.

Despite passage in the House, the bill faces an uncertain path forward, as the Senate has yet to introduce its version.

Source:

We are also pleased to announce that William Dickhut of Geringhoff Distribution LP is the winner of a $100 Amazon gift card for participating in the survey. Congratulations, William!

Be sure to mark your calendars for October 26–28 and join us in New Orleans for the upcoming Marketing & Distribution Convention. We look forward to seeing you there!

by Cara Walton, Director of Manufacturing Marketing Intelligence at Wipfli

Key takeaways

• Wipfli’s Q1 manufacturing trends survey of more than 300 industry leaders found both optimism in the market and concern over rising costs.
• Manufacturing leaders report frustrations over tariffs, labor costs, inflation and price pass-throughs, but also expect revenues to rise and EBIT to go up or stay flat.
• As you assess your own Q1 performance, you should reevaluate your strategic plan, track your tariff exposure and do a deep dive into your sales process to look for opportunities to win more profitable jobs.

How are manufacturers tackling 2026 so far? Wipfli’s Q1 survey of more than 300 manufacturing leaders to identify key trends reveals a nuanced picture of an industry that’s optimistic but still navigating a period of intense change.

After enduring a rough 2025, manufacturers now express more confidence in the direction of their businesses. However, costs have also continued to rise, making cost containment a top priority over the next three quarters.

Keep reading to learn more about what manufacturers are saying and doing heading into Q2.

Who participated in Wipfli’s Q1 manufacturing trends survey?

Every quarter, Wipfli surveys hundreds of manufacturing leaders to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing their businesses. For Q1 2026, we surveyed more than 300 leaders across a range of manufacturing process types, including:

• Metalforming
• Molding
• Die builder
• Gears
• Mold builder
• Fastener
• Machinery

The survey included manufacturers from industries like automotive, heavy truck, agriculture, defense, aerospace, medical and appliance. Participating firms varied in revenue from under $5 million to over $75 million.

The full results are only available to survey participants, but this article offers a high-level overview.

What key challenges are manufacturing industry leaders reporting after Q1 2026?

As we head towards the second quarter of 2026, manufacturers report that the cost of doing business remains a top concern. Tariffs, labor costs, pricing pressures and talent development are all straining margins, although some sectors are experiencing greater challenges than others.

Here’s more details on key challenges identified by the 300+ manufacturing leaders we surveyed:

• Higher cost of doing business: This was the top concern of manufacturers who participated in the survey. Contributing factors here include materials, wages and operating costs.
• Raw metal tariffs: Manufacturers specifically identified tariffs on raw materials as a major frustration factor. Uncertainty remains a huge factor here, with the recent Supreme Court ruling  imposed by the White House adding a new wrinkle to an already complicated situation.
• Continued inflation: Inflation has slowed from its pandemic-era peak, but continues to create challenges for manufacturing, with end consumers cutting back or even .
• Talent development: Labor challenges are nothing new, but this year, manufacturers face new pressures to adapt and upskill in response to an AI revolution that continues to ripple through the business world.
• Price pass-throughs: Businesses have been reluctant to pass the full cost of tariffs onto their customers to avoid spooking demand. But manufacturers are still eating those costs, with consumer-facing manufacturers often pushing their suppliers to take on some of the damage.

Other areas manufacturers report feeling concern include overseas competition, a potential recession and supply chain challenges.

Overall, manufacturers are more optimistic than they were a year ago

Despite a litany of challenges, most manufacturing leaders are optimistic. Fifty-four percent of executives who participated in the survey said they are optimistic, up from 40% a year ago. Most of the rest were ambivalent, with only 12% describing themselves as pessimistic.

Performance differs across industries

However, some industries have it easier than others. Leaders in marine, infrastructure, medical, commercial aerospace and defense largely reported that their firms are beating expectations, while automotive, appliance and packaging companies were more likely to share that they are missing performance targets.

Quote levels are up

Even some of the industries currently underperforming have reason for optimism. Quote levels are generally up from a year ago, including in automotive and packaging, as well as aerospace, defense, medical and infrastructure.

More manufacturers are hiring

Hiring rates have risen since last year. Less than 10% of manufacturers are planning to decrease hiring in 2026, either through no longer filling open positions or a reduction in force, which is less than 2025, which reflected 16% of manufacturers planning a decrease in hiring. Thirty-eight percent more firms report hiring for growth than did at this time last year.

Most leaders expect revenue to rise

Most manufacturing executives expect revenue to rise this year, with 38% projecting growth of 5-10% and 19% expecting to grow by 10% or more. Only 9% say their revenue will likely fall compared to 2025.

EBIT will largely stay flat or grow

Finally, EBIT will likely either stay flat or increase. Fifty-eight percent of leaders think their EBIT will remain the same, and another 32% are expecting improvement in EBIT.

What should you do next?

Visibility and adaptability are the keys to success. Your cost challenges won’t go away overnight and tariffs remain anyone’s guess, but if you have a clear understanding of what’s happening inside your business and are willing to adjust to meet the moment, you have a pathway to success.

Consider:

1. Assessing your strategic plan

You probably prepared one heading into 2026, but is it holding up? Review your existing strategic plan in light of your own Q1 results and make adjustments where needed.

2. Evaluate your tariff exposure

Tariffs will remain a factor for the next several years, as the White House has moved to impose new tariffs under different statutes after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs that relied on IEEPA. If your own materials costs are suffering, evaluate your supply chain to understand what countries you’re importing from so you can forecast your tariff exposure more accurately and consider possible alternatives.

3. Take another look at your sales process

Your sales process can offer a path to greater profitability. Do a deep dive into your existing process: study your top customers, consider whether you’re diversified enough and see which types of jobs earn you the most profit. Think about pricing too — if you have an idle press, for example, could you lower prices a little to create work for that machine?

How Wipfli can help

We advise manufacturers on improving performance, navigating change and growth. Let’s talk about the specific challenges you face and how we can help your business thrive. 

|Member since 2021

Headquartered in North Carolina, USA, with two manufacturing plants in Asia Pacific, we combine years of industry experience with advanced engineering and production techniques. Our mission is to deliver reliable, efficient products and services that help agricultural businesses reduce operating costs and increase productivity.

For more information visit:

It was great to see many of you at the Supply Summit in San Antonio. During our session, we discussed two unrelated but important topics: drug testing in the modern workplace and management best practices for avoiding litigation. We thought putting some of the key takeaways in writing would be helpful, both for attendees and those who could not be there. We address drug testing here and will touch on management best practices in a subsequent newsletter.

The state-by-state legalization of marijuana has created new complications for employers, but also an opportunity to take a fresh look at policies and practices in light of this clear societal trend. From a compliance perspective, each state’s particular law is critical. Many states have merely decriminalized marijuana (medical or recreational), but have not addressed the use of marijuana in the workplace. In those states, employers remain free to deny employment to an applicant who tests positive, or discipline or terminate a current employee based on a positive test.

In other states, marijuana statutes effectively create a new protected class, akin to race, sex, or disability. Statutes in Oklahoma and Connecticut, for example, prohibit discrimination against licensed medical marijuana users. In these states, courts have begun to find employers liable if the sole basis for termination is a positive drug test. Employers would need to find another basis to justify termination, such as possession on site or appearing for work under the influence.

Regardless of local law, employers increasingly are considering removing marijuana from their list of tested drugs or narrowing the scope of positions subject to testing. We generally hear two rationales for doing so. First, some employers seek to track the societal movement. Second, some employers find it difficult to hire and retain employees when testing for marijuana. The labor market can be tight, particularly in smaller communities.

We are often asked if an employer can take disciplinary action against an employee who appears under the influence without the benefit of a positive test. The answer is yes. In this scenario, it is important to document the visual or other evidence of impairment, such as slurred speech or alcohol on the breath. Marijuana laws do not prohibit an expectation that employees appear for work sober.

Marijuana legalization laws are gaining momentum, and it seems only a matter of time before marijuana use, at least for medical purposes, is legalized at the national level. In the meantime, a patchwork of state laws requires employers to pause and take stock of local requirements before terminating (or refusing to hire) for testing positive for marijuana. Many employers are also reconsidering the upsides of testing for marijuana, even in states where doing so is unrestricted.

| Member since 2006

¹ David James and Chelsea Bodin are attorneys in the labor and employment group at Nilan Johnson Lewis. FEMA members are entitled to 30 minutes of complimentary advice from David or Chelsea regarding labor and employment issues as an additional benefit of membership.

Drive your team from prospect to profit with , taking place June 9-11, 2026 in Kansas City, Mo. This in-person, 3-day program is designed to transform equipment sales professionals into confident, high-performing dealership leaders.

Through three progressive modules, participants will learn how to:

• Confidently guide customers through the buying process.
• Increase close rates using consultative selling and negotiation techniques.
• Build lasting customer relationships and effectively manage key accounts.
• Drive dealership profitability with financial tools and CRM systems.
• Position themselves and their dealerships as trusted leaders in a competitive market.

RAFFLE OPPORTUNITY – LIMITED AVAILABILITY!
 Win 1 of ONLY 5 seats for this high-impact training! That’s $1995 worth of free training!

| Member since 1957

We know business insurance. In fact, we’ve been providing it to companies like yours for over a century. So when you choose to trust your business with us, you can be confident that we’ll get to know your operations and your employees.

We encourage our members to leverage this expertise by exploring Sentry’s free resources and tapping into their experienced safety team. Their library offers a wealth of safety materials, including dozens of insightful articles.

Topics include: Establishing a Product Safety Process at Your Business, Document Management Program, Reporting an Incident or Claim: A Guide for Farm Equipment Manufacturers and Loss Control Guidelines.

May 20, 2026 | 10-11 A.M. CT Sentry Webinar: Depending on your industry, OSHA inspections come with the territory. You may have questions like:

• What are my rights and responsibilities?
• How do I prepare for an inspection?
• What do I do during and after the compliance officer’s visit?

Don’t worry. We’re here to help you prepare for an unexpected OSHA inspection.

Webinar Offerings: For a comprehensive list of all webinars, go to .

Sentry Resource Library: Members can find a comprehensive library of safety resources from Sentry at: FarmEquip.org/SentrySafetyLibrary.

| Member since 1974

Lessiter Media has begun planning for the Shortline Legends Class of 2026, and want to know who you think should be recognized for their achievements and success in the shortline/independent equipment innovations. Simply complete the short nomination form to submit your nominee for consideration.

Submit your nomination for the Shortline Legends Hall of Fame Class by April 30, 2026 or by contacting MLessiter@LessiterMedia.com.

New Updates: Discover the latest ASABE national and ISO standards relevant to our members, covering topics such as braking, tractors and self-propelled equipment, towed implements, tillage, lighting/marking, drawbar jacks, cab enclosures, and more.

Visit: FarmEquip.org/ASABEApril2026Updates for details.

ASABE Flash Drive: To request a free flash drive ($569 value) with the latest 2027 ASABE standards, contact Gina@FarmEquip.org.

Questions: For information on any of the ASABE standards, contact Scott Cedarquist at Cedarq@asabe.org or Sadie Stell at Stell@asabe.org. A current listing of all ASABE standards projects can be found on the ASABE website at .

Oxbo, a global leader in specialty harvesting and controlled application equipment, celebrated the grand opening of its new, 200,000 square foot advanced manufacturing facility in Bergen, New York, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The new site strengthens Oxbo’s long-term commitment to North America and supports continued growth in high value crop equipment, production, and customer support. 

The Bergen facility designs and manufacturers harvesters for specialty crops such as seed corn, sweet corn, green beans, and peas. The site includes a fully integrated laser-based fabrication center, robotic & manual welding, powder & liquid finishing systems, and multiple mixed model assembly lines. The new facility also has a large product showroom, an outdoor test track, providing customers, dealers, and employees with hands-on demonstrations, technical training, and equipment testing.

During the opening ceremony, Oxbo will welcome state and local leaders, community partners, customers, and (retired) employees to a celebration featuring a ribbon cutting and guided tours of the new facility. The festive event brings people together to mark this important milestone and to celebrate the teams, partnerships, and shared pride behind the new Bergen location.

“This new facility marks an important milestone for Oxbo,” said Joe Perzia, President of the High Value Crop Division. “By transitioning operations from our former Byron, NY facility into a purpose‑built, highly efficient facility in Bergen, NY we are able to provide more innovative, high-quality products and even stronger support to our customers. We are proud to be part of the Bergen community and excited about what lies ahead.” 

The Bergen location is designed to support both current operations and future growth. It will house approximately 250 employees, spanning manufacturing, engineering, training, and administrative functions, reinforcing Oxbo’s role as an employer of choice in advanced manufacturing and agricultural technology. 

“The opening of our Bergen facility reflects our continued focus on sustainable, long-term growth,” said Roel Zeevat, CEO of Oxbo. “This site is a major step forward for our U.S. operations and provides the space, capabilities, and environment needed to support innovation, collaboration, and customer success. We are grateful for the strong partnerships in the region and pleased to further strengthen Oxbo’s presence in New York State.”

Designed to support customers and innovation 

The new facility brings multiple functions together under one roof, creating a central hub for the design and production of advanced machines for specialty crops, customer and dealer training programs, and equipment testing and development at the outdoor test track. By consolidating these capabilities, Oxbo aims to improve efficiency, shorten feedback loops between engineering and production, and deliver even greater value to customers. 

About Oxbo  
At Oxbo, we are Optimizing farming together. Serving the application, forage, fruit, seed, vegetable, and root crop markets, Oxbo is committed to being the clear choice for specialty harvesting machines and controlled application technology. Our global team consists of engineering, manufacturing, sales, and service support. Headquartered in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, Oxbo employs more than 1,000 people across seven factories and 13 sales and service locations in five countries. For more information, visit .

Member since 1976