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26 Mar

Posted at 14:32h in Industry News
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Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) has been made aware of ag retailers in Kansas, and in other states, that have received subpoenas related to multi-district federal litigation filed by plaintiffs (Paraquat Products Liability Litigation). As we understand, these subpoenas generally request information on paraquat use, purchases, and certification of the restricted use pesticide. The primary case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The Court set a date for information requests to be issued by March 11, 2024.  While KGFA is not able to provide legal advice on how to respond to the...

22 Mar

Posted at 16:18h in Advocacy
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The 2024 Kansas legislative session is quickly winding down. Friday, March 22 is the last day for most committees to meet and consider bills this session. On Monday, March 25, the House and Senate will begin marathon sessions of floor debate on various bills, punctuated with joint conference committees between the chambers to discuss final language on specific bills. As this year is the second year of our state’s two-year legislative biennium, any bill which does not become law this year will no longer be a live bill. Governor Laura Kelly’s core focus this session has been on expanding Medicaid...

15 Mar

Posted at 15:03h in Advocacy
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This week, the Kansas Senate debated and passed, on a vote of 24-15, a $25 billion budget bill for the upcoming fiscal year. Notably, both the House and Senate budget bills would provide about $80 million to increase Medicaid outpatient reimbursement rates. Additionally, this week, the Senate debated and passed numerous tax relief bills, including a new comprehensive tax bill. The large tax bill would reduce personal income taxes by creating a single rate for individual income taxes, exempting Social Security from income tax, significantly increasing the personal exemption amount, and increasing the standard deduction for single filers. The bill...

14 Mar

Posted at 14:38h in Advocacy, Industry News
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing an update on existing stocks provisions for three chlorpyrifos pesticide products made by the company Adama – Pyrinex Chlorpyrifos Insecticide (EPA Reg. No. 11678-58), Chlorpyrifos 4E AG (alternate brand name Quali-Pro Chlorpyrifos 4E) (EPA Reg. No. 66222-19), and Vulcan (EPA Reg. No. 66222-223). After the dates listed below, all respective sale, distribution, and use of existing stocks is prohibited, except for sale and distribution for export and for proper disposal. In a final rule issued in August 2021, EPA revoked all tolerances for chlorpyrifos, which establish an amount...

08 Mar

Posted at 15:44h in Advocacy
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During the ninth week of the 2024 legislative session, Senate Republicans introduced a new comprehensive tax bill and have already set it for hearing next week. Likewise, House leadership is discussing another attempt at comprehensive tax legislation, and it looks like they might use Governor Laura Kelly’s tax bill as the vehicle. The extent of any such tax package is likely to be scaled back a bit as this week it was announced that the state had missed its revenue projections for the fifth consecutive month. Also, this week, the Senate finished committee work on its version of the...

01 Mar

Posted at 17:48h in Advocacy
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Following Turnaround Week in the Kansas legislature, the second half of the legislative session began with a slow start. Last week, the Republican tax cut plandied when Governor Laura Kelly vetoed it and the House failed to override the veto. In similar fashion, the governor's tax cut proposal is effectively dead, as the Senate gutted its version of the bill and House Republicans redirected the House version to a committee that never meets. Next steps toward any large tax relief package this session are uncertain at best, which may impact the forward progress of other unrelated tax bills....

01 Mar

Posted at 10:19h in Regulatory
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On March 1, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized amendments to the Risk Management Program aimed at protecting at-risk communities from chemical accidents with emphasis on those located near facilities in industry sectors with high accident rates. The “Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention Rule” includes EPA’s most protective safety provisions for chemical facilities in history, requiring stronger measures for prevention, preparedness, and public transparency. The rule protects the health and safety of all communities by requiring industry to prevent accidental releases of dangerous chemicals that could otherwise cause deaths and...

23 Feb

Posted at 17:55h in Advocacy
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This is Turnaround Week of the Kansas legislature, where most bills (with some exceptions) must be passed by their chamber of origin in order to remain alive for further consideration. In a flurry of floor debate on Wednesday and Thursday, the House and Senate voted on dozens of bills. In addition, the legislature finally attempted an override this week of Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of House Bill 2284, the legislature’s tax bill that includes a single-rate personal income tax. The House failed, by three votes, to override the veto. While the House can take another attempt at...

20 Feb

Posted at 15:55h in Advocacy
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Under the newly-restructured Rail Service Improvement Fund Program Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) introduced and led the charge on passing legislatively in 2023, Governor Laura Kelly announced nearly $16.5 million toward 17 short line rail expansion and rehabilitation projects on Feb. 20, 2024. “We are incredibly pleased to see our state legislature and administration authorize nearly $16.5 million in support of our members and their need for reliable, safe and enhanced rail transportation,” KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. “The cost-share program has been a tremendous asset to grain shippers for several years and due to our members' and our...

16 Feb

Posted at 14:34h in Advocacy
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The Legislature, again this week, failed to take up an override vote on Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of the tax bill House Bill 2284. That vote to override will need to come by the end of next week or the governor’s veto of the bill will be sustained. Committees this week approved and advanced bills before multiple days of floor debate begin next week as we near the legislative ‘turnaround’. In both chambers, various bills have now been introduced that would limit foreign investment in real property in the state. As the issue has broad support...

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