U.S. farmers planted 16% of their corn acres, while an additional 21% of soybeans were sown last week, an improvement over recent reports, according to the USDA’s latest Crop Progress report.

H&S Manufacturing Co. Inc. has announced a new distribution agreement with Renn Mill Center Inc., headquartered in Alberta, Canada. Under the new agreement, Renn will help to expand the full line of H&S manure spreaders, feed processing equipment, hay and forage tools to better serve customers in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Kenny Pekarek, sales manager with Nebraska Equipment in Seward, Neb., discusses the single-store Case IH dealership's development of a precision-specific internship program, to include the benefits to both the dealership and the student intern.

Torgerson’s was recently honored with a New Holland Service Excellence President’s Club Award. This prestigious program recognizes and rewards dealers who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to supporting their customers’ after sales needs with ongoing business best practices. Torgerson’s has been a New Holland dealer since 2016.

Lessiter Media is pleased to announce the addition of Benjamin Thorpe to its Ag Division editorial team. Thorpe will serve as an Associate Research Editor of Ag Equipment Intelligence and Farm Equipment.

Ohio Ag Equipment announces its intent to acquire the Huron County AGCO dealer, North Central Ag, LLC, on the target date of June 22, 2019. The acquisition of North Central Ag will strengthen Ohio Ag Equipment’s ability to service the ag industry by providing customers in north central Ohio with an exceptional line of equipment and product support.

Papé Machinery Agriculture & Turf, a John Deere dealership with locations in California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho, purchased Team Power, a John Deere dealership based in California. The acquisition is effective May 31, 2019.

Only two-thirds of the U.S. corn crop was in the ground and less than 40% of soybeans had been planted as of June 2. Much of the crop that has been planted is looking ragged.

The Ag Economy Barometer, an agricultural producer sentiment measure based upon a nationwide mid-month survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, dropped again in May. The May barometer reading of 101 was 14 points lower than a month earlier and was the lowest barometer reading since October 2016.