WASHINGTON, D.C., March 25, 2020 -- In a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and 53 other agricultural groups today urged that the agency grant relief from federal drive time rules for all truck drivers hauling agricultural goods. “As trucking capacity and the availability of drivers tightens due to COVID-19, neither surge nor normal trucking capacity may be adequately available to provide the required just-in-time deliveries to animal feeding operations, food processing and manufacturing plants, distribution ... Read More
News
NGFA members elect new officers at 124th annual convention
…Foundation raises funds for safety projects; Convention photos available… By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media About 500 NGFA members and guests gathered in Austin, Texas, for the NGFA’s 124th annual convention from March 7-10, where they discussed a renewed focus and commitment to preventing engulfments in grain bins, the nation’s trade environment, transportation and policy issues, and raised money for the National Grain and Feed Foundation, whose work during the coming year will focus heavily on workplace and on-farm grain bin safety. Several ... Read More
Purdue University releases grain entrapment statistics for 2019
By Jess McCluer, Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program recently released its “2019 Summary of U.S. Agricultural and Confined-Space Related Injuries and Fatalities” report, which documents 38 grain entrapment cases that occurred in 2019. The 38 cases represent an almost 27 percent increase in grain entrapments from 2018, when 30 entrapments were recorded. The total number of fatal and non-fatal entrapments is the highest in four years. In 2019, the state with the most documented grain entrapments — fatal and non-fatal — ... Read More
Report finds communicating benefits of gene-editing technology can improve consumer acceptance
The Food Industry Association (FMI) Foundation released a study on “Consumer Acceptance of Gene Edited Foods,” in which researchers surveyed more than 4,000 U.S. food shoppers to determine market potential and consumers’ beliefs, knowledge, understanding and acceptance of gene-editing technology and gene-edited foods. “Results of this study reveal consumers generally think about gene-editing in a negative light,” the report summarized. “However, over half of the respondents indicate having never heard of the technology. Simply informing consumers about the technology has trivial effects on ... Read More
Stand Up for Grain Safety Week 2020 still on!
The NGFA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) annual safety outreach effort, Stand Up for Grain Safety Week, is April 13-17. However, the official celebratory “kick off” event, scheduled for April 13 at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center in Ithaca, Neb., is postponed to align with federal guidelines due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). But NGFA and its safety partners will continue with extensive plans to distribute safety updates and encourage facilities to adopt best safety practices throughout the week of April 13. Stand Up ... Read More
FDA issues temporary COVID-19 supplier-verification policy for receiving facilities and importers
By David Fairfield, Senior Vice President, Feed The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 17 issued guidance to communicate the agency’s intention temporarily not to enforce supplier verification onsite audit requirements for receiving facilities and importers under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic if other supplier-verification methods are used instead. Three of the FSMA-related regulations – the Preventive Controls for Human Foods (PC Human Food) rule, Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PC Animal Food) rule and ... Read More
U.S. animal food facilities interested in exporting to China should contact FDA by April 3
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced March 13 that U.S. companies interested in exporting feed additives, premixes or compound feed to China should contact FDA by no later than April 3, 2020. Interested companies are directed to provide to FDA the names and addresses of their registered facilities, as well as permission for FDA to share that data with China. Full instructions for U.S. animal food facilities can be found here. ... Read More
Canada approves USMCA
The Canadian Parliament officially approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on March 13, allowing the three countries to begin implementing the agreed-upon standards for trade. The Canadian Parliament ratified the USMCA before taking a five-week break in response to coronavirus concerns. “Now that the USMCA has been approved by all three countries, an historic new chapter for North American trade has begun,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a press release. “This landmark achievement would not be possible without President Trump’s leadership and ... Read More
NGFA elects Board members and industry officers
ARLINGTON, Va., March 16, 2020 -- During its annual business meeting on March 10 at the NGFA’s 124th annual convention in Austin, Texas, the National Grain and Feed Association’s (NGFA) members elected JoAnn Brouillette, president of Demeter LP in Fowler, Ind., as NGFA chairman. “I'm deeply humbled to serve this industry that is very near and dear to my heart and my family's heart,” Brouillette said during convention. Her father, Don Brouillette, served as NGFA president – formerly the chairman title – from 1984-1986. During its annual business meeting the Association’s members elected ... Read More
Notice on NGFA Office Operations
(This post was updated on 3-20-2020) "Given the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation in the United States, including within the Washington, D.C., region, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is adapting its already-existing telework policy to provide staff members with the flexibility to work primarily from their home offices until at least April 1. Because NGFA has an existing telework policy and the necessary technology already in place, NGFA staff members who telework are able to monitor and respond to inquiries and requests from NGFA members promptly. The preferred method to ... Read More
National Grain and Feed Association
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