OSHA has changed its mind and says it now will issue Emergency Temporary Standards that employers will be expected to follow related to COVID-19 in the workplace. Final rules are expected in June.
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Fifteen states have adopted laws that provide businesses civil liability protection from COVID-19 claims. Another 23 states have similar pending legislation. Several states are considering vaccine-related laws.
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The guidelines also suggest employers consider protections and reasonable accommodations for workers at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19,
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Employers appear not to be mandating vaccines. Some are offering financial incentives to encourage it.
Read moreTrudeau’s current, pandemic-specific hesitation is not indicative of his longer-term interest in seeking what the U.S. administration seeks at the border.
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“The idea of a show where everyone is behind a mask, show guests would be required to travel one way through the show to encourage social distancing, and good friends would not be allowed to shake hands, did not appeal to anyone,” the show manager said. “But mainly, our concern was for everyone’s health.”
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The first of the two-part proposal includes funds for another round of the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses, as well as money for the unemployed, schools, and vaccine distribution.
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Anaylsts predict that post-pandemic indulgences will be foods like avocadoes, hence record consumption will continue.
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The Small Business Administration in August started accepting applications to have Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven. Here are some things to know.
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Orthman Manufacturing in Lexington, Neb., donated more than 3,700 masks to schools in its community so every student and employee had their own.
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For employees working remotely, payments can cover related utilities, wi-fi, and paper and ink, as examples. Employees in offices may use payments for hand sanitizer or masks and increased costs related to childcare and transportation.
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Unlike the $100-and-up molecular diagnostics lab tests, antigen tests can cost as little as $5, and results are available within minutes rather than days.
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More than a third of Americans say they will not get the COVID vaccine. That may create a legal showdown in the workplace.
Read moreNearly half of manufacturers said child-care constraints caused by the coronavirus made it difficult to recall furloughed workers or hire new ones in August.
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This is the second round of assistance the administration will send to farmers. It distributed $19 billion earlier this year.
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Although we will not gather for convention, we will come together briefly on screen to elect directors and hear from a former White House insider on what’s at stake in the November elections.
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A survey conducted by a marketing firm found that 88 percent of people are open to attending a trade show. Nearly a quarter were characterized as “not worried at all.”
Read moreWorld Ag Expo announced Monday it will not host its outdoor farm show in 2021.
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The last time federal payments accounted for a greater percentage of farm income was 2001 at 41 percent. Sonny Perdue said Monday he hopes to announce a new version of coronavirus relief this week.
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Beginning this month, employers can stop withholding part of employees’ share of Social Security taxes. The IRS will recoup the funds from employee paychecks in the first four months of 2021.
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The SBA contends that disclosing the names of loan recipients could violate their privacy because the loans are scaled to the size of a business’s payroll. But advocates for disclosure say it is important to gauge the program’s effectiveness.
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USDA Chief Sonny Perdue expects to deliver another round of funding to farmers soon through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
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If farmers receive a fresh round of assistance this year, they will prioritize paying down debt. Competing for the funds after debt are equipment purchases and inputs.
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The prevalence of reported fraud is staggering. Georgia found more than 130,000 false claims filed in July. Illinois identified more than 120,000 counts of unemployment insurance fraud in August. Consider these tips to avoid trouble.
Read moreIf we were shocked in March, we are weary in August. Interest in Zoom meetings, virtual farm shows, and webinars is wearing thin. But perspectives on the risk vs. the benefit of connecting are individual, and differences are dramatic.
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The Board of Directors meets virtually next week to discuss the convention.
Read moreThe company reported that agriculture has fared better than industrial so far this year, and North American operations have been less affected by the pandemic than European.
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Member companies have turned to testing services that sell home tests and promise results within 72 hours of receiving a sample.
Read moreThe expo plans to return for its 2021 show and encourages those who would have attended this year to participate through social media.
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The plan would expand a worker-retention tax credit created in March, make $190 million available to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program, and send a second round of stimulus checks.
Read moreOrganizers said the show has a waiting list of exhibitors and will be full in spite of the withdrawals.
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Tractor Supply saw sales grow by 35 percent in the quarter ended June 27. Its net income jumped 54.5 percent.The company saw a 14 percent year-over-year increase in new customers last quarter.
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Hog farmers are seeking congressional action to keep the industry afloat amid the “largest economic hit” it has seen in 30 years.
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As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, it disrupted freight demand, forcing some carriers to furlough drivers while others were quick to hire those drivers as a way to swiftly onboard experienced commercial vehicle operators.
Read moreDeere, Case and New Holland have save said they will not exhibit at the show in West Fargo, N.D.
Read moreA three-month moving average index of planned capital spending among U.S. manufacturers dropped in May to its lowest level since May 2009. Companies are using already allocated capital to accelerate investments in technology and research.
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Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin have collected one-fourth of USDA’s corona-virus relief payments. California has the largest average payment.
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Granting employers legal immunity would make it less likely that they take the steps necessary to protect workers’ health, the trade groups said.
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Members who responded to an informal poll about getting their sales team back on the road seemed to focus on July as a potentially significant step toward normal.
Read moreUntil Monday, the Farm Progress Show was scheduled to be an in-person event in Boone, Iowa, in early September. A virtual event is in the works.
Read more“Empire Farm Days is not a county fair,” a statement from the show said. “This is an outdoor ag community business event.”
Read moreThe situation is fluid, to say the least, but 11 farm shows plan to host in-person events from September through December.
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Dairy is expected to see the largest total loss, followed by grapes.
Read moreEconomist Ernie Goss, Ph.D., makes a case for an alternative to a V-shaped or U-shaped economic recovery. He suggests a swoosh made famous by an athletic shoe brand.
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Companies can spend more of the funds on operating costs, take more time to rehire workers, and if repayment is required, take more time to repay.
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Join a conversation about how member companies are approaching getting their sales forces back on the road.
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The USDA and Food and Drug Administration said the government could use the Defense Production Act to keep fruit and vegetable lines moving.
Read moreThe government will send a record $32.8 billion in direct payments to farmers this year, but the economic slowdown triggered by the coronavirus still will pull down farm income by 3 percent.
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The no-cost session will cover assessing your finances, managing cash flow, working with lenders, and building financial strength amid uncertainty.
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For the first time in its 53-year history, World Dairy Expo has been cancelled.
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