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Governor Laura Kelly has announced the five-phase distribution order of COVID-19 vaccines for population groups in Kansas. In early December, Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) organized a coalition of 14 agriculture-related organizations and led efforts of sending a letter to Kelly and Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam emphasizing prioritizing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines among front-line agricultural employees behind the obvious top-tier recipients. ”These COVID-19 vaccination phase groups were created using guidance from national and state public health experts and with input from the Kansas Coronavirus Vaccine Advisory Council, or COVAC, which...

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced a final rule clarifying the standard for employee versus independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Sharpening the test to determine who is an independent contractor under the FLSA makes it easier to identify employees covered by the Act, while recognizing and respecting the entrepreneurial spirit of workers who choose to pursue the freedoms associated with being an independent contractor. The Final Rule includes the following clarifications: Reaffirms an “economic reality” test to determine whether an individual is in business for him or herself (independent contractor) or is economically dependent on a potential employer...

Our sincere thanks go out to all who donated, bid and won items during our first-ever virtual scholarship auction. Thanks to all of those efforts, Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) surpassed its fundraising goal of raising more than $15,000 during the two-week online event. We also extend a special thank you to ProValue Insurance for its generous $3,000 financial contribution to the KGFA scholarship fund in 2020. All of the proceeds from the auction go toward awarding scholarships to graduating high school students who are pursuing post secondary education in an agribusiness-related field. Since 1977,...

Kansas Department of Revenue has released its 2021 Grain Elevator Valuation Guide. Both the guide and a new valuation template have been updated and are available for use via the buttons to the right. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the guide, please contact Randy Stookey (randy@kansasag.org | 785.234.0461). The following is a brief summary of the 2021 changes, all of which are explained in the guide. All 2009 sales and the three lowest and three highest of the 2010 sales were dropped from the analysis. A total of 10 new sales were added to...

Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA), Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) and the Kansas Cooperative Council (KCC) are modifying their annual Legislative Action Day to a one-hour, online event held from 11:00 a.m. - Noon via Zoom on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. "We, along with legislative leadership, have determined it would be in the best interest of our membership and those who work inside the Kansas Statehouse to make a one-time modification to the format of our 2021 Legislative Action Day and make it an online event," KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. "This...

Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) mourns the loss of longtime association supporter Alan Young who sadly passed away on Dec. 7, 2020. Young, who was retired from Ardent Milling / Horizon Milling was an active participant on the KGFA scholarship committee and the association's legislative committee. He was involved with the hospitality rooms at the annual meetings for many years prior to his retirement. Alan Duane Young, 69, passed away on December 7, 2020 at his home in Wichita, KS. He was born to Owen "Duane" and Veva (Tompkins) Young in...

On Friday, Dec. 4, Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) organized a coalition of 14 agriculture-related organizations and led efforts of sending a letter to Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam emphasizing prioritizing distribution of COVID-19 vaccines among agricultural employees. The National Academies of Science (NAS) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) independently determined front line agricultural workers are essential to the economy and recommended prioritizing these workers behind health care professionals and other vulnerable individuals. The letter requested Governor Kelly and Secretary Beam follow the CDC & NAS guidelines by making front line agriculture workers...

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released an interim final rule on the definition of agricultural commodity for use in determining which agricultural products are eligible to be hauled under the agricultural exemption to the hours-of-service (HOS) rules for truck drivers. Because of the agricultural exemption, HOS regulations do not apply to the transportation of agricultural commodities by truck drivers operating completely within the 150 air-mile radius. Therefore, work and driving hours that occur within 150 air-miles of the source of the origin are not...

Despite cancellation of the 2020 Kansas Agri Business Expo, Kansas Grain and Feed Association (KGFA) is still raising money for its scholarship fund with a two-week online auction beginning today and ending at noon on Friday, December 4. "Our scholarship committee and board of directors recognize the importance of the annual auction to our scholarship program's ability to assist students in pursuing their educations," KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. "Although we aren't able to gather in person this year and hold the auction, we are pleased to still be able to raise money online to help...

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 are a bipartisan package of recommendations from legislators, health...

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