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23 Nov

Posted at 09:13h in Advocacy
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In a one-day historic Special Session yesterday brought by legislative petition, the Kansas legislature passed House Bill 2001. The Special Session was called following legislative hearings where over a hundred people testified to a special committee on the negative affects the COVID-19 mandate would have on their employment status. The bill was championed by both House and Senate leadership and was the sole purpose for the Special Session. The Senate passed the bill 24-11 and the House passed it by a vote of 77-34. Your association joined others in the business community...

22 Nov

Posted at 09:32h in Advocacy, Industry News
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The Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) board of directors approved the association's 2022 legislative and regulatory policy guide ahead of the upcoming Kansas legislative session in January. The KARA Policy Guide contains the policy and position statements of the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association relating to state and federal legislative and regulatory issues. It is intended to serve as a general reference for Association members, legislators, and other state officials. The policy guide is reviewed and updated annually by the KARA Legislative Committee and approved by the KARA Board of Directors. VIEW POLICY GUIDE  ...

12 Nov

Posted at 07:17h in Industry News
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The Kansas Department of Transportation is committed to keeping the highways cleared whenever inclement weather impacts the state. In line with workforce shortages across the nation, KDOT does not have enough equipment operators – the agency’s primary snowplow operators – in a number of areas across Kansas. These shortages create the potential for highways to not be cleared of snow and ice as quickly as in the past. The agency has dealt with reduced staffing in the past, but the shortages are greater this year. KDOT is about 30% short of snowplow...

09 Nov

Posted at 15:26h in Industry News
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will collect a $52,221 penalty from Postville, Iowa, fertilizer distributor Farmers Union Cooperative to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Plan Rule. According to EPA, the company stores 457,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, a regulated toxic substance, and failed to comply with regulations intended to protect workers and the surrounding community from accidental releases of regulated substances. After reviewing Farmers Union Cooperative’s facility records, EPA determined that the company failed to update its plans for preventing the release of anhydrous ammonia...

04 Nov

Posted at 06:36h in Industry News, Regulatory
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On Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, President Joe Biden released details of the administration's long-rumored COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The mandate includes two newly-released policies and updates the previously announced federal contractor/employee rule: Vaccine requirement for employers with 100 or more employees Vaccine requirement for health care workers New timeline for federal contractors/employees of vaccination by Jan. 4, 2022. OSHA) is announcing the details of a requirement for employers with 100 or more employees to ensure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis. The...

21 Oct

Posted at 09:25h in Advocacy, Industry News, Regulatory
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On October 19, 2021, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association joined with the Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council in providing comments to the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the agency reviews an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on Vaccination Mandates and Testing by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in response to Presidential Executive Order 12866. As it has been announced, the proposed standard will require employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are either vaccinated or are tested weekly...

21 Oct

Posted at 09:24h in Industry News, Regulatory
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The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking volunteers to participate in a road usage charge (RUC) study. The study will focus on identifying how a RUC system that reflects unique Midwestern needs could help fund transportation investments. The study is being supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and coordinated with the Minnesota DOT to expand the pilot’s reach. This study is a only a test-run – not implementation. What is RUC? A road usage charge, or RUC, is a policy whereby drivers pay to use the road based on miles driven....

15 Oct

Posted at 08:06h in Advocacy, Industry News, Regulatory
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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) has signed onto two letters bound for United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters Friday, Oct. 15. The first letter files formal objections regarding EPA's final rule issued on Aug. 30, 2021 revoking all tolerances for the insecticide chlorpyrifos. It urges EPA to rescind the final rule revoking tolerances and consider continued agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos under its ongoing, normal-order registration reviews. The letter further requests EPA stay implementation of the rule until the objections can be formally addressed and responded to by EPA. The second letter...

04 Oct

Posted at 09:33h in Industry News
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Kansas Dept. of Agriculture (KDA) is hosting a virtual federal infrastructure funding Zoom meeting on Oct. 15, 2021. See more information from KDA below. The Heartland’s economy – and our nation’s economy – relies on agriculture, transportation and technology industries working well together. With the focus on federal infrastructure funding, now is the time for our region to identify partnership opportunities and regional strategies that generate game-changing results for generations to come. The HomeField Advantage series is an opportunity to learn from each other and plan how to leverage our regional strengths. Maximizing investments...

28 Sep

Posted at 10:15h in Advocacy, Industry News, Regulatory
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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association organized a coalition of agriculture organizations to submit a letter to EPA administrator Michael Regan requesting the agency provide regulatory certainty and ensure continued access to dicamba products under the 2020 approved label. The undersigned coalition of Kansas agricultural stakeholders represents cotton and soybean farmers, agribusiness, biofuels industry, and conservationists who seek the continued use of over-the-top (OTT), post-emergent application of dicamba herbicide products. The letter also seeks state level flexibility on use and cut-off dates as necessary to meet the needs and growing conditions present in each...

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