The top awarded applicant will be invited to receive their award at the 64th Annual Conference in Palm Desert, CA.

Winners will be announced by January, 31, 2019.

Applications for the 2020 John J. Murphy Scholarship will be available by June 2019.

Trucks.com
Beginning in 2020, Volvo will build and retro fit trucks for the North American marketplace in response to toughening diesel-emission rules. The Swedish truck builder will use powertrain components to take its VNR model to full electric operation option, but will continue to manufacture the VNR as a diesel-powered model.

Trucks.com
A change in federal tax law enacted as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could afford eligible business owners a 20 percent deduction on their business income taxes for 2018.

Supply Chain Dive
In a vote to move forward with standardization of language, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced Dec. 7 that at-issue detention and demurrage fees were "just and reasonable," but that terminology current in use "may cause confusion" for some carriers and marine operators.

CCJ News
Spot market rates were down 2.5 percent YoY for November, according to loadboard operator DAT amid concern about global economies. However, volumes and rates are expected to rebound as e-commerce deliveries continued to increase for the holiday season. 

Transport Topics
Certain stretches of the Atlanta environs have become a "no-man's land" as drivers find themselves squeezed between traffic constraints, hours of service and a dearth of parking. The Atlanta Regional Commission says it is working to change that.

Freightwaves
While the number of data points available to the trucking industry has never been greater, more execs are calling for more intelligible information and less apps for access. Said Matt Aller, vice president of operations at Stericycle, "We don't need 33 different dashboards."

ARE YOU PREPARED? SUPPLY CHAIN DISASTER SIMULATION EXERCISE

How would you respond to a crisis to supply items deperately needed after a disaster? Food Shippers of American in partnership with American Logistics Aid Netork (ALAN) to offer this game-based session putting you in the role of a business, non-profit, or government organization working to deliver critical commodities to a community following a disruptive event. You'll race against time to keep supplies moving while confronting challenges common to disaster. Performance metrics will be reviewed using data visualizations, and attendees will explore strategies for addressing real-world supply chain risks simulated during the session. Attendees should bring a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone or tablet to participate in this session.

March 3 - 5, 2019 JW Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert CA.
February 22 - 25, 2020  JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL.
February 28 - March 2, 2021 W Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Desert CA.
February 20 - 22, 2022 JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL.
Inquires for Conference Sponsorship opportunities should be directed to treasurer@foodshippersofamerica.org

The 64th Annual Foods Shippers of America conference is now sold out. Please find our tentative agenda that Co-Chairs Earnie Seibert, Sanderson Farms and Mary Kearney, Hirschbach Motor Lines, and the committee have created for another great conference.

Two rounds of play Sunday, March 4 at the Wildfire Golf Club on the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa property!

Note: 6:30 a.m. is sold out but there are still openings for the 12:30 p.m. round.

We are excited about the upcoming conference that will be here before you know it! The always “Great Time of Golf” is about sold out. So please check and ensure that you have your registration completed and requested pairing noted, (if any). We are excited to be at the Desert Springs course again as last time we were here we had a Hole in One winner for $10,000! So get out and practice, and we look forward to seeing the first 244 people who get signed up out there on Sunday to try and win some cash and bragging rights within the industry for 2019 and beyond.

All Golfers must be a registered conference attendees.

Please forward your questions to golf@foodshippersofamerica.org