By Tyson Redpath, The Russell Group
Upon further review from the Biden Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the USDA will begin processing payments for applications made for additional assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-AA). That additional CFAP 2 assistance of $20 per acre for producers of eligible flat-rate commodities including California rice will be made in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act from December, 2020.
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Please find the following employer information from Kahn, Soares & Conway regarding legislation extending sick leave benefits for COVID-19.
In what promises to lay the groundwork for a significant improvement in COVID-19 vaccinations, the Newsom Administration announced today the creation of a statewide vaccine delivery network. This aims to simplify delivery of vaccines to local healthcare providers, county health offices and other providers through a third-party administrator to maximize distribution efficiency.
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This is intended to give you the best information we have on COVID-19 vaccinations for the Food and Agriculture sectors included in the 1B, Tier 1 prioritization. This information is gathered from our colleagues in the San Joaquin Valley, United Ag and our observations of the Administration’s actions.
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A reminder that December 11 is the deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP2), which was expanded to include rice grown in California. Due to COVID restrictions and staffing safeguards processing, applications may take longer than expected. The agency offers multiple options to apply which can be found on this website. If you choose to sign up for CFAP2 through the Farm Service Agency, keep in mind that you can place your 2021 crop under loan at the same time.
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See the attached review of significant new emergency regulations adopted by OSHA. The emergency regulations will go into effect when approved by OAL no later than November 30 and possibly earlier. They require a number of new mandates for employers which will impact rice including: employee testing, reporting and record keeping and exclusion from the workplace for a positive test for 14 days.
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Today, the Governor issued a limited stay at home order limiting travel from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The order is in place November 21 – December 21, 2020 involving counties with a purple designation.. Essential businesses, including agriculture, are exempted.
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There are important changes for businesses regarding COVD-19 in the workplace, when Assembly Bill 685 becomes law January 1.
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SB 1159 made a number of changes relating to COVID-19 presumptions for workers’ compensation and also adds reporting requirements for employers.
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The Zenith is offering a series of free COVID-19 briefs for agriculture. Please see the notice below and register for these 30-minute seminars covering the recently issued CDFA guidance for Ag and OSHA inspections, COVID-19 testing and transportation. Each brief is presented by subject experts and should be highly valuable to your mill, dryer or farm.
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