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The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s agricultural advocacy, marketing and outreach team is seeking talented Kansans to serve on the Marketing Advisory Board. The mission of the KDA marketing division is to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and deliver solutions designed to create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of the state’s largest industry — agriculture. The Marketing Advisory Board will advise the program team on a variety of topics through the following sub-programs: agricultural business development, international agricultural development/trade, From the...

By Randy Gordon, President and CEO, NGFA A proposed rule designed to update hours-of-service (HOS) guidance for commercial truck drivers is “in the final stages of review,” the U.S. Department of Transportation told Congress on June 19. In testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Raymond Martinez said the proposed guidance is under interagency review within the White House Office of Management and Budget. He made the statement during the committee’s hearing preparing for the reauthorization of the so-called Fixing America’s Surface...

The Department of Homeland Security forwarded to the White House Office and Management and Budget late in 2018, a proposal to expand the Chemical Facility Anti-terrorism Standards (CFATS) program’s Personnel Surety Program (PSP).  The PSP, stipulated by the CFATS risk-based performance standard 12, Part 4, requires that employees at, and visitors to, CFATS regulated facilities be vetted against the federal terrorist screening database.  This program was rolled out a few years ago to cover those CFATS facilities in risk Tiers 1 and 2.  There are approximately 120 facilities in these...

The updated Kansas Noxious Weed Law became official in February 2019.  The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is beginning the revisions of the associated regulations.  A key part of developing the revisions is input from stakeholders and the general public. The KDA invites you to a public meeting to discuss the new law, revisions to the regulations and to introduce the State Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee.  This open discussion will be held at the Kansas Department of Agriculture, 1320 Research Park Drive, Manhattan, on Thursday, July 11 from 10:00 a.m. until...

Hearing Conservation 101 was designed to inform employers of the basic requirements of the regulations, focusing on insights to avoiding an OSHA citation and employ some “Best Practices” to support a safe workplace where industrial noise may be a concern. During this presentation we will discuss: Safety vs Compliance Hazard Assessments “Periodic” inspection requirements 29 CFR 1910.95 [T8CCR §5097] Multi-employer work sites Hearing Conservation “Best Practices” Who Should Attend? Facility Production Managers & Supervisors, Construction Superintendents/Foremen, Safety Managers/Staff Register for this free webinar below DATE: June 19, 2019 TIME: 2:00PM ET - 1:00PM CT - 11:00AM PT Speaker: Paul...

Effective July 1, 2019, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will have up to $5,000,000 available through the State Rail Service Improvement Fund (SRSIF) for railroad rehabilitation, capacity improvement and construction projects. Qualified entities that can make an application include:  any Class II or III (short line) railroad, as defined in 49 C.F.R., part 1201 holding a certificate of public convenience from the Surface Transportation Board; local unit of government (city or county) in coordination with the serving railroad; and shippers in coordination with the serving railroad.  The SRISF program...

Kansas Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) Pesticide and Fertilizer Program will be discussing its approach to drift, damage claims and complaint reporting Friday, May 24, 2019. The meeting will be held at KDA's office in Manhattan (1320 Research Park Drive) in Room 124 at 10 a.m. Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association staff will be in attendance to report on the discussion, but the meeting is open for anyone to attend. No RSVP is required. Call KDA with questions regarding the meeting: 785.564.6688....

Presented by: KFSA 2019 Capitol Review - Veto Session Report Last week was the “Veto Session” of the 2019 legislative session. From Wednesday through early Sunday morning, the legislature tackled some important issues, including the annual budget, a large tax bill and some smaller items concerning scrap metal theft and CBD oils. Over the last few weeks, while the legislature was not in session, Governor Laura Kelly signed various bills or allowed the bills to become law without her signature. The legislature is now adjourned until Sine Die (the final adjournment) on Wednesday,...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association's (KARA) scholarship committee met in mid-April and awarded nearly $10,000 in scholarships to Kansas high school graduating seniors and current college students for the 2019-20 academic year. The scholarship committee, comprised of KARA's membership, received 101 applications and awarded eight students scholarships to assist in advancing their academic endeavors. “KARA has a long and proud history of providing scholarships to worthy students,” KARA’s president and CEO Ron Seeber said. “We congratulate this year’s recipients and wish them the best with their...

Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, in an effort to build resilient rural communities in Kansas, helped gather retailers, grape growers, crop growers, conservationists, beekeepers, teachers and elected officials for a Growing Good Neighbors pilot program dinner Thursday evening at Bluejacket Winery. The first dinner of its kind in Kansas was designed to bring together a wide array of agriculture producers and key stakeholders over a shared meal to reduce conflict and foster a mutual understanding of each other’s livelihoods. “Whether it’s determining the location of sensitive crops, or pesticide applications, resolving conflict among...

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