The 2025 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) are expected to be published in the Federal Register soon. This generally occurs at the end of the year. The AEWR is the minimum hourly wage an H2A worker can be paid. The AEWR is established using the USDA National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) Farm Labor Survey (FLS) [...]
We are still gathering some information on this decision, but the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This case questioned the CTA's constitutionality and its impact on small business. This will most likely result in a long legal [...]
As you may know, there was recently a serious accident resulting in two fatalities at a cotton gin in the Mid-South. Two people walking across the gin yard were struck by a front-end loader carrying a round cotton module. Our understanding is one was an employee and the other was a contractor. They were standing [...]
It is now time to complete your required filings under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The court challenges seem to be completed, and the rule is still in effect, with a deadline of January 1, 2025, which is prior to the time when we will change administrations. There are substantial fines for failing to follow [...]
FDA reminds Human and Animal Food Facilities to Register or Renew Registration between October 1 and December 31, 2024. This is a renewal that occurs on all “EVEN” numbered years. Owners, operators, or agents in charge of a domestic or foreign facility engaged in manufacturing/processing, packing, or holding food for consumption by humans or animals [...]
In partnership with the National Cotton Council (NCC), USDA is piloting a program for the 2024-2025 cotton crop that will allow bales to be shipped in four-bale groupings that use averaged quality data. These groupings of four bales or multiples of four bales will carry the same official USDA classing data for all eight quality [...]
TCEQ is sending out the notice shown below to many facilities in the state which currently have a standard permit or permit by rule registered for their facility. The reporting requirement specified in the notice is a result from the TCEQ Sunset process that occurred last legislative session. Many of these standard permits or permits [...]
The National Cotton Council recently added another Round Module Wrap to the listing of wraps that meet the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ASABE) Round Module Wrap Standard. The official National Cotton Council list of approved product wraps can be seen at this link - RMW Listing
Date: March 6, 2024 To: Cotton Ginners From: Chris Berry, Chairman Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee Subject: Phase-Out of Paper Hang PBI Tags The Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee (JCIBPC), chaired by Chris Berry, a Wellman, TX ginner, had its 2024 Annual Meeting in Memphis on February 28th. During this meeting the [...]
Here is an updated version of the email sent yesterday, with functional links. Date: March 5, 2024 To: Cotton Ginners From: Chris Berry, Chairman Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee Subject: Reminder – USDA Commodity Credit Corporation Form CCC-809, Cooperating Ginner's Bagging and Bale Ties Certification and Agreement As the season begins, [...]
