Yesterday, government officials issued a shelter-in-place order for six San Francisco Bay Area counties* –Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara – in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. To stay in effect until April 7th, the order directs the public to stay at home as much as possible, with ...
As reported earlier this week, the U.S. Department of State suspended regular visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and all U.S. consulates in Mexico in response to COVID-19. While the Administration did announce they will be prioritizing interview waiver cases for returning H-2A workers, the number of eligible workers under this protocol ...
Yesterday, WG and a coalition of more than 40 organizations representing the spectrum of U.S. agriculture issued a letter to President Trump seeking his assistance in ensuring a continued steady supply of U.S.-produced food, fiber, feed and fuel amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The letter notes the challenges American agriculture faced in 2019 – including severe ...
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) included food and agriculture workers in its initial list of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers, which is intended to ensure “continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.” Among the critical food and agriculture functions…
Led by Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), nine California Congressional representatives joined a group of more than 40 bipartisan, geographically-diverse Members of Congress in responding to the Department of State’s decision to suspend routine nonimmigrant visa processing in Mexico. In a letter to Secretary Pompeo, the bipartisan group of lawmakers express deep concern that the suspension…
It can be overwhelming trying to sift through all of the information related to COVID-19 and what it means for your business. Western Growers has created a COVID-19 Resources Page as a one-stop-shop for timely information and industry-specific guidance, tailored specifically to the needs of the grower and handler community. Additionally, you’ll find the best ...
Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Labor announced that small and midsize employers – defined as businesses with fewer than 500 employees – can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related ...
On March 20th, WG President and CEO Dave Puglia issued a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom requesting a formal pause on new regulations impacting the state’s agriculture industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, Puglia requests that Governor Newsom initiate a formal pause “for all open public comment periods concerning both active rulemakings ...
On Monday, March 23rd, Western Growers joined a coalition of more than 40 regional and national associations in urging USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to quickly begin purchasing commodities sitting stagnant in the supply chain as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The letter estimates that there is at least $1 billion worth of perishable commodities ...
On Monday, March 23rd, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an Executive Order stating that no Arizona county or city “may make or issue any order, rule or regulation that restricts or prohibits any person from performing any function” designated as an essential function. The order defines an essential function as one that “promotes the public ...
Today, WG joined 44 allied associations from across the country in issuing a letter to the 50 state governors urging consistency in defining food and agriculture as “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” in all state COVID-19 response plans. Referencing the guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the letter…
In light of recent policy announcements and requests for a more general letter that can be adopted in different states, WG has updated its template employment verification letter that can be provided to your workforce verifying their employment in your company and clarifying the federal Critical Infrastructure Sector policy. This letter can be presented to ...
Just before midnight on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed a $2 trillion plan aimed at rescuing the nation from the current economic and health crisis. The package is expected to pass the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday and be signed by President Trump. Click here for a comprehensive summary* of the key elements most ...
The State Department announced today that it is taking additional steps to increase the processing of H-2A visa holders through consulates around the world. These modifications, including the expansion of interview waiver eligibility, will ensure that the majority of H-2A processing can continue. The specific steps are summarized below: Secretary Pompeo, in consultation with the ...
On Wednesday, WG President & CEO Dave Puglia sent a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting that USDA take action to guarantee the payment of all legitimate PACA trust claims, to the extent these claims are not satisfied by the available PACA trust assets. In other words, USDA would cover the difference between what the ...
On Monday, March 30, WG joined more than 75 allied produce organizations in issuing a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue calling on USDA to develop a market stabilization plan for the industry with allocated funding from the stimulus package. Specifically, the letter proposes the agency take the following actions: USDA should move to aggregate all ...
Many of our members have reported a slowdown in their business due to the impact of COVID-19 in the foodservice sector, and now possibly expanding into the retail markets. It is quite possible that this slowdown may continue, or even spread further. “Generally speaking, financial losses caused by COVID-19 are not covered under the Business Income ...
The U.S. Department of Treasury has issued guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the nearly $350 billion authorized in the CARES Act (the $2.2. trillion stimulus package) to provide small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a large surge in unemployment and a rise in food insecurity in numerous communities across the country. Even in normal times, food banks play a critical role in feeding millions of Americans. Now, the demand – and urgency – is even greater. CDFA has issued a call to the ...
It is a like a sub-plot out of the Netflix television series, Stranger Things, which follows the residents of Hawkins as they battle supernatural forces from the Upside Down, an alternate dimension linked together in a hive mind controlled by the Mind Flayer. In a stranger-than-fiction, real-life drama that is playing out across the country, ...