EPA has announced their new PM NAAQS Standard. As expected, they have significantly lowered the primary PM2.5 annual limit from 12 ug/m3 to 9 ug/m3. The good news is that they did not change the primary 24-hour PM2.5 or PM10 limits, or any of the secondary limits. We are digging through the details of this [...]
OSHA requires annual posting of injury and illness data. Cotton gins, grain, feed and processing facilities are required to complete the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) injury and illness record-keeping obligations by posting the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (OSHA Form 300A) in each facility. OSHA requires the notice be displayed from Feb [...]
As a reminder, if you have not already completed the NCC planting intentions survey, please take a few minutes to do so. Here is the original post: The National Cotton Council is requesting your assistance to help with the planting intentions survey. Please take a few moments to complete this short survey - your assistance [...]
It is time once again to complete your cost survey for TCGA. This data is very important for TCGA, as we use it for comparing the various power companies, and for development of arguments in our rate cases. You can use this data to compare your operations efficiency with other gins throughout the state. A [...]
The new Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) were published in the Federal Register last week. The AEWR is the minimum hourly wage an H-2A worker can be paid. This AEWR came from the USDA National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) Farm Labor Survey (FLS). The annual FLS survey is generally used to establish the AEWR for [...]
We are saddened to have to report that Lance Pernell passed away on December 9, 2023. His obituary from the Moore-Rose Funeral Home is listed below: RANCE'S OBITUARY On Saturday, December 9, 2023, our Rock, Protector, Husband, Dad, Son and Brother, Rance Pernell, was called to the Lord at the age of 49. Rance Lynn [...]
The USDA recently published the results of the National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) Farm Labor Survey (FLS). Generally, the annual FLS is used to establish the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for H2A workers for the following year. The law that established the H-2A program states that the importation of foreign workers shall not have [...]
Please see the following important information from the National Cotton Ginners Association: Currently, there is no language within the JCIBPC Bale Packaging Specifications or USDA regulations that prohibits the application of any type of sticker to the outside of a bale. There are concerns that messages or images of any kind other than normal business/logistics [...]
The following article is from this Week's edition of Cotton's Week: Purchasers of round module wrap are encouraged to purchase wrap material that meets the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Cotton Module Cover Material Performance Standard. To inform the purchase decision, the NCC maintains a database of approved wrap products on its [...]
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Farm Service Agency (FSA) has a potential funding opportunity available for employers under the FLSP grant program. Funds are granted for the following goals and purpose: (1) Drive US economic recovery and safeguard domestic food supply by addressing current labor shortage in agriculture; (2) Reduce irregular migration [...]
