5-24-2021

Updates on Workplace Safety Guidance

May 24, 2021 —The Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration (MIOSHA) has issued updated rules for employers. The new rules are here. Key points:

  • The rules largely bring MIOSHA in line with what the MDHHS announced two weeks ago in terms of restrictions, masks, etc.
  • The release notes “Employers may allow fully vaccinated employees to not wear face coverings and social distance provided they have a policy deemed effective to ensure non-vaccinated individuals continue to follow these requirements.”
  • In terms of what is deemed effective I am including the relevant part of the order below.
  • Note that employers have several options to comply with the new mask rules. One of the options is to post signs notifying employees of the need for unvaccinated people to wear a mask.
  • Nothing in the rules prohibits an employer from continuing to require masks for all employees regardless of vaccination status; in fact it is another “approved” way to comply with the rule. See below for more.

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5-18-2021

Consider Weather Forecasts When Planning Fertilizer Applications

 

Heavy rainfall events are a prime contributor to agricultural nutrient losses, with water transporting nutrients to surface water bodies. Recently applied mineral fertilizers on the soil surface are at particular risk for transport as moving water can carry fertilizer particles, as well as quickly convert nutrients into dissolved forms. Commercial fertilizers are designed to be highly water soluble for optimal agronomic performance, but that also means they can easily dissolve into water and carried from fields.

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4-29-2021

MABA applauds introduction of Cover Crop Flexibility Act

April 29, 2021 — U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that farmers can plant beneficial cover crops without facing crop insurance penalties when bad weather prevents them from planting their crops for the season.

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4-19-2021

Soil Sampling – A Critical First Step to Maximize Profit Potential, Environmental Stewardship

For many across Michigan, soil sampling has become “second nature,” with farmers and their ag retail advisors recognizing the importance of having a solid view of a field’s nutrient profile to inform decision making.

With the growing season upon us, it is a good time to think about the latest soil testing practices and how they are used on fields, especially in terms of determining spring phosphorus and potassium application rates. Nutrient applications should be based on recent soil test data in order to match application rates with crop needs. Close attention to fertilizer management has a wide range of benefits; it helps maximize the economic return of fertilizers, and safeguards against nutrient losses from over-application.

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