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May 14, 2020
A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation.
REMINDER: The main office in Des Moines is closed to visitors. AAI staff is still available to help you with your member needs via phone or email. Phones are still being answered during normal business hours. If you'd like to reach a specific member of the staff please visit our staff listing online.
AAI IN ACTION
New Dates Added to Drive-Up Testing Option to Help Commercial Pesticide Applicators Obtain Certifications

Two additional dates are now available for drive-up testing for commercial pesticide applicators. Sessions on May 19 and May 21 have been added for both Des Moines and Fort Dodge. 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship began offering drive-up commercial pesticide applicator exams this week with sessions in Story County. The testing protocol allows individuals to take the tests in their automobiles to maintain social distancing guidelines and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The drive-up testing requires preregistration and the sessions are limited to 20 people per session. Currently, when a testing location has a scheduled day, three sessions are available.

Additional dates and locations will be added. Check the exam sign-up form page for the addition of more dates and times.

The drive-up method of examination provides the ability to test for any of the commercial certification categories including aerial (category 11), all agriculture certifications, and all landscape certifications. 

Note there are specific rules for test takers which are different from normal in-person exams. Participants must wear a mask at the testing site, bring a government-issued ID, and provide their own basic calculator and pencil. Testers will be provided with exam results via email and can expect results in 10 business days after the test date. 

Additional information and details about the exam are available on the exam registration page.
Governor Reynolds Updates Emergency Declaration

During the press conference on Wednesday, Governor Reynolds announced she had loosened restrictions in all counties in Iowa, allowing the operation of some previously closed businesses to operate under certain conditions. This includes the 22 counties that had previously had more restrictions. Full information about the proclamation can be found on the Office of the Governor web page.

Regulatory relief related to the agriculture industry is part of a different set of provisions that run until May 27, unless the State Public Health Emergency Declaration is extended. The restrictions on auctions are also part of the declarations set to expire on May 27.

FMCSA Extends Emergency Declaration

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended its existing Emergency Declaration an additional 30 days. All waivers and regulatory relief currently in force is extended until June 14.

Full declaration information can be found here.
Webinar: COVID-19 and Workplace Safety

Members of AAI have access to a free webinar on the implications of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Grain and Feed Association and Grain Journal are partnering to provide the free webinar Wednesday, May 20, at 2:00 PM Central Daylight Time. You may register here.

The Webinar will focus on the implications of OSHA’s guidance to employers on a wide range of issues including: 1) Infection Control, 2) Respiratory Protection and PPE 3) Recording and Reporting COVID‐19 Cases and 4) Enforcement Discretion Policy. 

The presenter, Eric Conn, is a founding partner of Conn Maciel Carey and chair of the firm’s national OSHA Workplace Safety Practice Group. He has made numerous presentations at NGFA and state/regional affiliate events. Eric has also represented and currently represents several grain handling facilities who either have challenged or are challenging citations they have received from OSHA. 

OSHA’s definition of “workplace” covers everything from office buildings to country elevators. The webinar should be applicable to all members whether operating in either a grain handling facility or an office.
Members Raise Concerns About Fall Harvest Storage

With the 2020 crop planting nearly complete, many ag retailers are anticipating the fall. During the Agriculture Secretary’s Crop Production Call on Thursday, concerns were raised about access to rail for shipping, poor quality of the 2019 crop, and lack of markets for corn. 

With idled ethanol plants, and now a slowing in feed use due to packing plant closures, corn is not moving through the system. Finding places to store the fall harvest is likely to be a challenge. Additionally, accounts receivable at retailers are already growing, and poor prices for commodities are anticipated to create additional financial difficulties for customers.

Joining the call was Deputy Epidemiologist Dr. Ann Garvey from the Iowa Department of Public Health who discussed the expected continued increase in COVID-19 cases in central and western Iowa. Retail members across the state are taking measures to limit interactions and maintain good social distancing practices to avoid major disruptions to staffing because of illness. 

Secretary Naig also reiterated many of the initiatives talked about in the Livestock Call to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. (see article below)

The department initiated a new program this week to certify new commercial pesticide applicators and anyone who needs to take a written test for their certifications. Agribusiness Association of Iowa CEO Joel Brinkmeyer thanked the secretary for the efforts of IDALS in dealing with the commercial applicator issues and encouraged the department to keep working to get all remaining applicator certification matters resolved quickly.

The Agribusiness Association of Iowa is an invited member of the Agriculture Secretary’s Crop Production Call each Thursday in which association staff and AAI members also take part.
Some Improvements in Livestock Sector, Major Backlogs Continue  

Packing plants are back in operation but running at a slower pace. During the Secretary of Agriculture’s Livestock call Tuesday morning, it was noted that there are about 600,000 hogs backed up in the system. There is some hope that if packing plants continue to operate, they will be able to reduce the number of excess hogs in the system during June and July. Small packing operations are running extra hours to process meat for the Pass the Pork program with the state of Iowa providing inspectors at no cost during those times to allow the processing.

Cattle are carrying significantly more weight in Iowa than in surrounding states and the Schuyler, Nebraska processing plant is currently shut down. The extra stress from heavy weights and environmental factors could be an issue heading into summer.

Testing for COVID-19 has been completed at 11 plants, with more testing continuing at other plants. Deputy Epidemiologist Dr. Ann Garvey from the Iowa Department of Public Health said the focus is to broaden the testing to make it more of a community testing event while still focusing on testing for all packing plant employees. The state is anticipating additional guidance from the federal level for ongoing surveillance testing now that most packing plant employees have been checked.

The Agribusiness Association of Iowa is an invited member of the Livestock call and association staff take part in the call each week. 
AAI Calendar of Meetings & Events


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Note:
Until further notice, all committee and board meetings will be held via conference call. 

Conference call access information will be listed in calendar invitations.

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AAI Board of Directors Meeting
July 9
10:00 AM

Golf Tournament #1
July 21
Fox Ridge Golf Course
Dike, Iowa
(tentative)

Golf Tournament #2
July 22
Emerald Hills Golf Course
Arnolds Park, Iowa
(tentative)

Golf Tournament #3
August 10
The Legacy Golf Club
Norwalk, Iowa
(tentative)

Golf Tournament #4
September 17
TBA Location
(tentative)

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  • A livestock auction is back at it and the WASDE report is out

  • Farmers are nearly done planting in Iowa

  • Meat packers open up while ag faces heavy financial losses

  • China and US claim progress on Phase One agreement and FSA Has Farm Loans for Iowans

Watch episodes from the past week anytime online!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NEWS
COVID-19 has impacted us all in so many ways — and now it’s disrupting our food supply chain too. But we, in agriculture, are no strangers to adversity and you are not alone. My team at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is fighting for you. We are advocating on your behalf at every level of the local, state and federal government.

Our top priority continues to be keeping meat processing facilities up and running to secure our food supply. Under Gov. Reynolds’s leadership, Iowa has been leading the way on testing at meat processing facilities. This helps protect the health of workers, and provides the confidence and information workers and facilities need to stay operational.

Mayors from across the Midwest have written the EPA urging the agency to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Brett Barker, mayor of Nevada in central Iowa, tells Brownfield the coronavirus pandemic is just the latest in a series of hits to agriculture.

“Not only does COVID-19 have a huge impact because of decreased demand and things like that, but it’s also been an opportunity that other industries that compete (with biofuels) have tried to take advantage and gut the Renewable Fuel Standard even further.”

Barker is one of 70 mayors asking the EPA to reject unjustifiable RFS waiver requests. He says biofuels play a large role in the economy of his and many other communities.

“The farmers sell to the biofuels industry, but then they use that money to invest in our communities. Whether it’s buying equipment, vehicles, cars, goods and services in their daily lives. So it definitely has a ripple effect.”

More attention is being paid to direct-marketing beef, pork and poultry to consumers since COVID-19 began challenging the major meatpacking plants, infecting workers, and reducing processing capacity.

Right now, though, just a small number of state-inspected meatpacking plants are set up to sell meat or poultry products across state lines. Only six states have gotten approval from USDA since 2011 to make that happen.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) along with his colleagues Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) today introduced legislation to foster efficient markets while increasing competition and transparency among meat packers who purchase livestock directly from independent producers. This bill will require that a minimum of 50 percent of a meat packer’s weekly volume of beef slaughter be purchased on the open or spot market.

“The lack of transparency in cattle pricing isn’t a new problem, but the negative effects of the fire in Holcomb, Kansas, and COVID-19 have highlighted the need for additional price transparency measures to ensure producers are getting a fair price for the hard work of raising cattle. Food doesn’t come from the grocery store; it comes from tens of thousands of farmers and independent producers who work day and night to ensure families across the country have an abundant supply of food. Independent producers deserve to be paid what their beef is worth,” Grassley said.

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