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06 Jun

Posted at 08:28h in Industry News
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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association’s (KARA) scholarship committee reviewed more than 100 applications and awarded nearly $10,000 in financial aid to seven of the state’s high school graduating seniors and current college students for the 2024-25 academic year. “We are proud each year to assist local students in pursuing their academic aspirations,” KARA’s president and CEO Ron Seeber said. “Our board of directors, scholarship committee and overall membership congratulate and wish nothing but the best for this year’s recipients as we collectively look forward to their future contributions to our industry.” Each year,...

24 May

Posted at 09:29h in Industry News, Regulatory
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The Kansas Water Office (KWO) plans to hold meetings aimed at generating broad, and continued, legislative interest in fully funding the state water plan. Similar to the regional planning sessions Kansas Dept. of Transportation held when putting together the Kansas Highway Plan, the state’s vision is to put conduct similar regional/consult listening meetings across the state to receive feedback on funding priorities for the new state water plan funds. June 17 | 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Colby June 18 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Dodge City June 20 | 2:00...

24 May

Posted at 07:55h in Advocacy, Industry News, Regulatory
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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) has submitted a comment to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detailing the critical need for access to dicamba products. According to its notice, published on May 3, 2024, EPA has received an application to register new uses for a new pesticide product containing Dicamba, a currently registered active ingredient, for use in Dicamba-tolerant cotton and Dicamba-tolerant soybeans. To make dicamba available for use on dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton for future growing seasons, EPA must act swiftly. Growers need to know use conditions by late 2024 to...

20 May

Posted at 08:16h in Industry News, Regulatory
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Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) has been working with USDOT and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on an issue of regulatory non-compliance that has been identified in the agribusiness industry in Kansas and throughout the Midwest. KARA recently had a productive meeting with PHMSA and is working to inform its members of information on the SP waiver. Please contact the association office by phone (785-234-0463) or email Randy Stookey (randy@kansasag.org) for any questions or concerns on how to apply for the Special Permit waiver SP12412 (dot.gov). PHMSA has determined that a USDOT special permit is...

20 May

Posted at 08:13h in Regulatory
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In 2021, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA), and other stakeholders worked with the Kansas Dept. Health and Environment (KDHE) in passing legislation authorizing KDHE to establish minimum thresholds for reporting spills of hazardous chemicals. Previously, all spills of any size were required to be reported even if the spill was of a volume that was of such low risk as to pose no risk to human or animal health or the environment. This was a notable departure from the standards set by other states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Such a reporting...

20 May

Posted at 08:04h in Advocacy
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Before adjourning the 2024 Kansas legislative session earlier this month, the legislature sent Governor Laura Kelly a comprehensive tax relief bill and an omnibus budget bill. Yesterday, as was predicted, Governor Kelly announced her veto of the tax bill and multiple line-item vetoes in the budget bill. The Governor also announced she intends to call the legislature back in for a, “Special Session,” - likely following the Memorial Day weekend – to seek passage of a new tax package. Because the 2024 legislative session has adjourned, no bills would carry over from...

06 May

Posted at 07:22h in Regulatory
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The United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued two news releases opening comment periods on situations impacting the Kansas crop protection industry including canceling all but one use of the pesticide Acephate and Bayer CropScience's new product containing dicamba. [vc_row][vc_column width='1/2'] EPA Proposes to Cancel All but One Use of Pesticide Acephate to Protect Human Health The EPA is releasing a proposed interim decision (PID) to cancel all but one use of the pesticide acephate. This decision is based on EPA's updated human health draft risk assessment (HH DRA) and drinking water assessment (DWA)...

03 May

Posted at 06:10h in Advocacy
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On Friday, April 26, 2024, the Kansas legislature gaveled back in to begin its brief, “Veto Session,” where the legislature can attempt to override vetoes by the governor. Lawmakers worked Monday and Tuesday of this week before adjourning sine die around 12:30 a.m., on Wednesday morning, officially concluding the regular 2024 legislative session. As this is the second year of the legislative biennium, any bill that was not passed is no longer a live bill. Throughout the interim at the beginning of the month, Governor Laura Kelly vetoed at least 15...

10 Apr

Posted at 05:58h in Advocacy
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The legislature worked late into the night on Friday, April 5, adjourning around 3:15 a.m., on Saturday morning to wrap up the regular legislative session for 2024. A few items, however, were referred to conference committee where additional action may be taken when legislators return on April 29 for a brief, “Veto Session,” – a time when legislators generally consider taking action to override bills vetoed by the governor. There was much activity this week, with the legislature taking final action on dozens of bills. Of note, the legislature passed a...

03 Apr

Posted at 07:28h in Regulatory
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On Tuesday, April 2, the Biden-Harris Administration announced its rule to generally require a second crewmember on all trains. In finalizing this rule, FRA reviewed and considered over 13,500 written comments received during the 146-day comment period—in addition to the testimony from a one-day public hearing. “Common sense tells us that large freight trains, some of which can be over three miles long, should have at least two crew members on board - and now there’s a federal regulation in place to ensure trains are safely staffed,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete...

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