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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association encourages all of its members to join a special state of the association meeting via Zoom on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. "With everything we've all been through in the last several months our Chairman Lance Nelson, our board of directors and myself wanted to provide a platform for our members to speak freely on the challenges the industry has faced, our plans for moving forward together in light of the elections and potential regulatory impacts on the industry and most importantly, how our association...

Despite cancellation of the 2020 Kansas Agri Business Expo, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) is raising money for its scholarship fund with a two-week online auction beginning today and ending at noon on Friday, December 4. "The scholarship auction is the association's primary fundraiser for assisting students in our state pursue their educations," KARA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. "The items donated and the proceeds from the auction directly benefit our industry by helping fund the education of the future of our workforce." The KARA scholarship program annually awards nearly $10,000...

Governor Laura Kelly has announced several new plans to combat the spike in COVID-19 cases, among them a statewide face-covering protocol. This order allows counties one week to create their own version of a mask ordinance or they will automatically come under the governor’s face mask requirements. However, they can still opt out of the order under state law. “As COVID-19 continues to spread through Kansas communities and hospitalizations increase at concerning rates, it is clear we must take action to protect our communities and our economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Today’s actions...

A Message to the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Assn. Members from ASTA North Central Regional Vice President, John Romines, WinField Solutions On behalf of the American Seed Trade Association’s North Central region, I want to personally extend an invitation to our friends and colleagues of the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Assn. to join with us at our CSS & Seed Expo virtual event this December. We encourage you not to wait, but get registered now, since we’ve got business appointment setting between attendees already underway and series of pre-conference events leading up the...

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing to create a pilot program to allow truck drivers aged 18-20 to drive across state lines. This is an effort to make federal law more consistent with state laws. Currently, in 49 states, the minimum age for intrastate truck operation is 18, while the federal minimum is 21 for interstate truck operation. Required Training for Pilot Program Drivers: FMCSA proposes to allow 18- to 20-year-old CDL holders to operate CMVs in interstate commerce while taking part in a 120-hour probationary...

Anyone wishing to earn 1A recertification credits through Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association's online course on Nov. 5, must register for the class by NOON today, Nov. 3, 2020. The association is still offering in-person registration as well as walk-in attendance on Thursday Nov. 5 at Tony's Pizza Event Center (800 The Midway) in Salina. Both in-person and online programs are slated to be FULL RECERTIFICATION programs, including the Core Hour, needed to recertify and eight pest management CEUs. On-site attendance includes meals and handouts for $140. In-person attendees must practice social distancing, wear...

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed interim decision for the widely-used herbicide, paraquat. The interim decision meets industry and stakeholders' requests in previous comments. As part of the proposed safety measures, EPA is proposing to add language to the Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) statement that will allow truck drivers who are not certified applicators to transport containers of paraquat that have been opened, and provided they are following Directions for Use. This provision was included after Agricultural Retailers Association brought this potential transportation issue to EPA’s attention because...

Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association has learned EPA has announced its decision on approving new five-year registrations for two dicamba products and extending the registration of an additional dicamba product. The full EPA press release, as well as stakeholder responses from BASF, Bayer and Syngenta are below. All three registrations include new control measures to ensure these products can be used effectively while protecting the environment, including non-target plants, animals, and other crops not tolerant to dicamba. “With today’s decision, farmers now have the certainty they need to make plans for their 2021...

Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association has received updated guidance from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) regarding the COVID-19 truck weight exemption set forth in Governor Laura Kelly’s Executive Order 20-65. The exemption allows for a 10 percent weight waiver (up to 90,000 pounds) on trucks hauling essential goods for direct relief of the COVID-19 pandemic. KDOT and KHP have determined that the overweight hauling of pesticide, fertilizer, and other ag inputs are not part of direct COVID-19 relief, and so do not qualify for the...

A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on December 7, 2020, in the 1st floor meeting room 124 of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, Kansas to consider the adoption of proposed regulations. Due to the public health concerns posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the hearing proceedings will also be available via video conferencing system. Anyone desiring to participate in the public hearing via video conference must pre-register at: https://kansasag.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpdu6qqTwqGtYU5 Y Uk22Znv4hc-lnrOt. Individuals planning to attend in person, please contact Ronda Hutton via email at...

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