Sales Folks Are Traveling, Liability Questions Arise
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.
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COVID-19
Farm Progress, Husker Harvest Days Canceled
Until 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 moreLeaders of Empire Days Upset Over Cancellation
“Empire Farm Days is not a county fair,” a statement from the show said. “This is an outdoor ag community business event.”
Read moreFarm Shows 2020: What’s On, What’s Off, What’s Virtual
The 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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California Ag Expects $9 Billion Hit from Virus
Dairy is expected to see the largest total loss, followed by grapes.
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An Economist Offers Thoughts on Recovery
Economist 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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SBA Loosens Loan Forgiveness Rules for PPP
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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In These ‘Unprecedented Times,’ Membership Matters
Join a conversation about how member companies are approaching getting their sales forces back on the road.
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Farm Workers Hard Hit by Coronavirus
The USDA and Food and Drug Administration said the government could use the Defense Production Act to keep fruit and vegetable lines moving.
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Farm Income to Dip Despite Record Government Support
The 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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Kcoe Isom Offers Financial Health Webinar
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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World Dairy Expo Cancels 2020 Event
For the first time in its 53-year history, World Dairy Expo has been cancelled.
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As Normalcy Returns, Adopt Visitor Policies
Consider implementing these protocols to protect your workforce and communities.
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Business Booms at Small Meat Processors
As coronavirus outbreaks shut down or reduced production at major meat processing plants, farmers scrambled to find alternatives. As is the case with much around the coronavirus, this shift created winners and losers.
Read moreHelp Your Workforce Become Resilient
Leaders asking themselves how resilient their business is should also ask a more foundationally important question: How resilient are your people?
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Take These Steps to Restore Operations
As we emerge from the depth of disruption, consider these steps in ramping up operations.
Read moreCNH Plant Reopens After Five-Week Closure
The plant suspended operations April 7 amid a quick case escalation in its community. It reopened with a series of new safety measures.
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Need ‘Social Distance’ Visual Reminders?
Member Company Muir Omni Graphics has window clings, floor markers, and other products that remind employees to mitigate risk.
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How to Respond to Positive Cases
The infection rate in rural communities increased by 170 percent in a month-long span. Know how to respond at your plant.
Read moreDeere, UAW Negotiate to Keep Plants Operating
Deere agreed to provide paid sick leave to employees who thought they might have been exposed to the virus but did not get tested and offered other safety measures that kept the plant operating.
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Member Companies Adjust, Prioritize Communication
Operations at member companies throughout North America have changed dramatically to reflect our new normal.
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Congress Discusses Next Stimulus, Payments Coming for Farmers
Direct payments should be on their way soon to farmers. Meanwhile, lawmakers discuss support to small businesses as part of a new round of stimulus funding.
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Lawmakers to Focus on Small Businesses This Week
Proposals include extending the timeline on PPP and allowing businesses to use more of the funds for overhead. Some lawmakers want to create new funding vehicles.
Read moreMember Resources Bring Added Value During Virus
As member companies continue to face a new reality, the Association wants to remind you of a service always available to regular members and a new, virus-specific service.
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Cut Out the Noise Using Resources Curated for You.
Workplace rules are changes as more states transition to reopening the economy. Avoid the media filters and find what you need as you navigate employee safety and consider getting your sales team back on the road.
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Payroll Protection Funding to be Replenished Quickly
Analysts anticipate that the new fund could be depleted by early next week. Association members who have not yet pursued the forgivable loans are urged to act quickly. A new member benefit that offers no-cost consultations with experts on the loan process can help.
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Members Receive No-Cost Consults on Payroll Loans
In partnership with KCoe Isom, the Association is offering members no-cost, 60-minute consultations with experts on business and financial questions related to COVID-19.
Read moreKcoe Offers Tips on How to Use Loans, Debt Forgiveness
Kcoe Isom has compiled answers to frequently asked questions related to Payroll Protection Program.
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Farmers to Receive Cash Payments, Mass Purchases
The White House announced a $19 billion economic rescue package for farmers and ranchers. The plan calls for making cash payments to producers as well as mass purchases of commodities to be distributed to food banks.
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Lawmakers Propose More Workplace Virus Protections
The new standards would require companies to develop protocols for each element of an entire program. The so-called emergency temporary standard would give regulators the power to issue citations or fines.
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More Funding for Small Business Certain But Stalled
Lawmakers agree that small business businesses need more in a COVID-19 rescue package, but negotiations stalled over details. Resolution is expected this week.
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Resource Recap: Programs for Small Businesses
Small businesses have a number of resources to consider as part of a massive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes has developed a list of state, federal and community services and updates it frequently. Find it here.
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CDC: How to Handle Workers Who Have Been Exposed
Essential workers who have been exposed to the coronavirus can continue to come to work but must observe this practices.
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Protein Processing Plants Hit Hard by Virus
Smithfield Foods, which processes about 5 percent of U.S. pork, has closed indefinitely in response to a significant number of COVID-19 cases at the plant.
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Tips from the EPA on Disinfecting Your Plant
Check out this list of
Read moreSIMA Reschedules Next Show
The COVID-19 outbreak made the fall show difficult to plan. SIMA returns to its new fall schedule in 2022.
Read moreCNH to Suspend Production in Grand Island
Because of COVID-19, the Case New Holland manufacturing facility in Grand Island, Neb. will temporarily suspend operations after Thursday. General
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USMCA Delayed, Tariff Relief Anticipated
Lawmakers and business groups have ramped up pressure on the administration to grant tariff relief to companies reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. The virus also has forced a delay in the start date for USMCA.
Read moreState Orders Affecting Business
See what’s happening in your state as governments issue orders in response to covid-19.
Read moreDOL Clarifies Questions on New Families First Act
Clarifications issued Friday help employers make sense of the intermittent leave policy and how FFCRA works for businesses affected by closures or stay-at-home orders.
Read moreFarm Equipment Makers, Related Industries React
Deere, AGCO, CNHI, and Alamo have reacted to the pandemic by temporarily shuttering overseas operations. Domestically, there is news of layoffs and plant closures resulting from employees testing positive.
Read moreDraft Travel/Work Document
Essential Critical Infrastructure Worker Designation – Draft Text
Read moreSee a Webinar on HR Legal Issues Related to covid-19
Webinar invitation: Ask an attorney your HR legal questions around covid-19.
Read moreDeere Suspends Operations in Brazil
Deere & Co. is halting production in agricultural behemoth Brazil as the coronavirus outbreak erodes sales for the world’s biggest
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HR Resources from KCoe
Member company K-Coe Isom has compiled a toolkit with valuable information related to payroll and related employment questions.
Read moreEmployment Law Questions Emerge Around COVID-19
Association partner Nilan Johnson Lewis have drafted a series of responses to questions facing employers related to the coronavirus.
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Bill Calls for Paid Leave at Small Companies
The bill requires employers of small companies to pay up to $511 a day for sick leave and up to $200 a day for family leave.
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At Times Like This, Your Membership Matters Even More
A trade association can shine at a moment like this by seeking answers to your collective questions and serving as a clearinghouse for information.
Tell us what you need.