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07 Oct

Posted at 08:48h in Regulatory
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Meeting will focus on planned water administration for Quivira impairment The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources (KDA-DWR) will host two public meetings on Monday, October 21, 2019, to share information related to upcoming action responding to the impairment complaint by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. The two public meetings will take place at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Stafford County Courthouse Annex, 210 E. 3rd Ave. in St. John. Both meetings will include the same information. Water rights owners...

25 Sep

Posted at 07:12h in Regulatory
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On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to make 1.3 million American workers newly eligible for overtime pay. The final rule updates the earnings thresholds necessary to exempt executive, administrative and professional employees from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime pay requirements, and allows employers to count a portion of certain bonuses/commissions towards meeting the salary level. The new thresholds account for growth in employee earnings since the thresholds were last updated in 2004. The final rule becomes effective on...

20 Sep

Posted at 06:46h in Regulatory
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The FMCSA has proposed the following changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) rule: Broaden the short-haul exception to make it available to certain commercial drivers by lengthening drivers’ maximum on-duty period from 12 to 14 hours, and extend the distance limit within which the driver may operate from 100 air miles to 150 air miles. Modify the adverse driving conditions exception by extending the maximum window during which driving is permitted by two hours. Increase the safety and flexibility for the 30-minute break rule by tying the break requirement...

12 Sep

Posted at 14:24h in Regulatory
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At an event in Washington, D.C., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Department of the Army Assistant Secretary for Civil Works R.D. James announced that the agencies are repealing a 2015 rule that impermissibly expanded the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The agencies are also recodifying the longstanding and familiar regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 Rule—ending a regulatory patchwork that required implementing two competing Clean Water Act regulations, which has created regulatory uncertainty across the United...

11 Sep

Posted at 05:41h in Industry News
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Mark Reif, age 56 of Plainville, passed away on Monday, September 9, 2019 at his home in Plainville. Mark was born on August 21, 1963 in Great Bend, Kansas to Charles and Lucille (Pierce) Reif. Mark spent his life in Rooks County, graduating from Plainville High School with the class of 1981. He furthered his education at Northwestern Kansas Technical College in Beloit before enlisting in the United States Army where he was stationed in Germany for 3 years. After his honorable discharge he returned home to raise a family...

22 Aug

Posted at 15:16h in Industry News
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David C. Drake, age 69, of Thayer, NE died Monday, August 19, 2019 at UNMC Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, NE. Drake was a longtime member and sponsor of Kansas Grain and Feed Association, as well as a steadfast supporter and exhibitor of the Kansas Agri Business Expo. He was born April 27, 1950 to Eugene “Gene” and Vivian (Broton) Drake at Devils Lake, North Dakota. He attended and graduated High School at Lakota, ND (Go Raiders!) Dave while on a basketball scholarship attended and graduated from NDSU in Bottineau, ND with...

22 Aug

Posted at 09:46h in Regulatory
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A federal court yesterday sided with Kansas and declared that the Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule exceeded federal authority and violated administrative procedures, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said. “From the beginning, it was clear to us that the WOTUS rule proposed by President Obama’s administration went far beyond the authority granted to the federal agencies by the Clean Water Act and did not go through the proper administrative procedures prior to its adoption,” Schmidt said. “This ruling agrees with our assessment and lays the groundwork for the...

21 Aug

Posted at 08:48h in Industry News
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Remember the following when preparing for harvest: • Anticipate equipment problems before they arise and make sure a plan is in place to address them. • Check maintenance records to ensure that equipment is in proper working order and that critical maintenance activities are performed. Critical items may include belts, lagging, buckets, bearings, dryers, and grain stream processing equipment. • Make sure that hazard monitoring equipment (belt alignment, motion detection, bearing temperature) is connected and operational. • Stock critical parts in preparation for breakdowns. • Allow adequate time for preventive maintenance activities during busy periods. •...

12 Aug

Posted at 08:35h in Industry News
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Use the following checklist to prepare for hot weather and to make sure that all appropriate precautions are in place. Develop a list of hot weather supplies (e.g., water, shade devices, etc.). Estimate quantities that will be needed, and decide who will be responsible for obtaining and transportation supplies and checking that supplies are not running low. Create and emergency action plan for heat-related illnesses (who will provide first aid and emergency services, if necessary). Develop acclimatization schedule for new workers or workers returning from absences longer than one week. ...

05 Aug

Posted at 07:11h in Industry News
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Exposure to heat can cause illness and death. The threat is real. Common type of heat illnesses include heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, fainting, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, loss of consciousness, or seizures. Train employees to recognize these symptoms in themselves and others. To prevent heat related illnesses: • Schedule hot jobs during cooler periods of the day. • Hydrate - drink at least one pint of water per hour (recommended). • Take regularly scheduled breaks in a cool...

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