The employee can carry this letter with them to provide to law enforcement if asked about violating the County Public Health Order. The letter states that the company is an essential business, and that the employee performs essential activities for the company. For this reason, the employee may travel and work in the county during the emergency order. DOWNLOAD LETTER...
FMCSA Hours of Service Waiver Extended to Fertilizer and Animal Feed On Friday, March 13, President Trump declared a nationwide state of emergency on the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Following the President’s declaration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a nationwide Emergency Declaration. The emergency declaration suspends hours of service (HOS) regulations in all 50 states and Washington D.C. for drivers who are directly transporting supplies (including food) which are “incident to the immediate restoration of essential services” related to the COVID-19 emergency. In order to fall under the waiver,...
FMCSA has issued a waiver in response to COVID-19 outbreaks as several states are experiencing employee absences or have closed offices. As a result, many drivers are unable to renew their CDLs or are unable to provide medical certificates. In addition, many medical providers nationwide have canceled appointments to dedicate resources to the COVID-19 response. As a result, drivers are unable to obtain physicals to comply with the regulations. Among the provisions, this waiver extends the expiration of CDLs due for renewal on or after March 1, 2020 until June 30,...
Beginning Friday, March 20, 2020, at least 14 Kansas counties have issued emergency “stay at home” orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these local orders defines, and exempts, “essential businesses.” Earlier this week, Governor Laura Kelly issued Executive Order #20-15. This Executive Order establishes a “Kansas Essential Functions Framework (KEFF)” to identify a state-wide list of “essential businesses.” The KEFF is based on national critical function guidelines established for pandemic and other disaster response efforts. The Governor’s Order identifies agribusiness, grain storage, and biofuel production as essential functions and...
Governor’s Executive Order Does Apply to Agriculture Products However, be ready to answer some questions about your load Governor Laura Kelly's Executive Order 20-09 (view by clicking the button below or HERE) allows a 10% weight waiver for motor carriers of essential services and food supplies. For our members’ clarification of the Executive Order, we requested clarification from the Kansas Highway Patrol if the waiver applies to the following: transport of agricultural crop inputs (seed/pesticide/fertilizer/diesel) from import/manufacturer to the end user/farmer transport of grain from farm to elevator transport of grain from...
Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association has partnered with Kansas Grain and Feed Association and Kansas Cooperative Council to work on behalf of the agribusiness and shared cooperative industries during this uncertain time. As a follow-up to the communication KARA provided earlier today regarding essential business definitions, please see below. Background and the Law: Kansas law grants each county health officer the authority to declare a pandemic emergency within its own county and to issue a “quarantine/stay at home” Order. These Orders are derived from the county health officer, and enforced by the County...
KARA members - Throughout this unprecedented time in our country, we have been working non-stop to ensure COVID-19 executive orders from Topeka do not impede on your ability to feed the world. In coordination with 15 agriculture-related organizations, known as the Kansas Agricultural Alliance, we spearheaded the effort to send the letter below to Governor Laura Kelly and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam this morning.We implored the governor to designate the agriculture commodity community as an essential service if she decided to deploy a “shelter in place” or “quarantine” order. We...
Please find below a press release from the Kansas Department of Agriculture stressing the importance of our industry and the vital role you play in the state, national and international supply chain. Your association has been in close communication with our state and federal regulators since the onset of the COVID-19 game changer and have received insurances that robust agribusiness operations are vital to keep the country moving. Please continue to contact your association with concerns and questions regarding this issue. Sincerely, Ronald C. Seeber Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association 785.234.0463 | ron@kansasag.org With Tuesday’s announcement...
Due to ongoing concerns over the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association has canceled its upcoming CDL Exam Preparation schools scheduled for March 26 in Manhattan and April 16 in Hays. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the association office by phone (785.234.0463) or by email (samantha@kansasag.org)....
On Thursday evening, the Legislature wrapped up regular session business, adjourning nearly a full week before its regularly scheduled adjournment date as concerns of COVID-19 exposure continue to grow. This shortened session prevented final legislative action on many bills. However, the adjournment resolution is scheduled to bring the legislature back on Monday, April 27, and allow one final week of possible action on bills -- all of which is dependent on the broader COVID-19 pandemic. Legislature Passes Budget for fiscal years ’20 and ’21 On Thursday, March 19, following multiple rounds of...