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The MWFPA News Bulletin is underwritten in part by Bug Blocker Doors & Screens
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MWFPA Welcomes Pullman Sugar As New Member
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MWFPA is proud and pleased to welcome Pullman Sugar as its newest member!
Pullman Sugar is based in Chicago, IL and is a manufacturer and distributor of liquid and dry ingredients for the food and beverage industry. It has unique blending and refining capabilities that allow it to customize products for each individual customer. They are primarily in the sweetener industry. However, Pullman Sugar carries a full line of flour, starch, shortening, egg products, dairy products and milk powders.
Welcome Pullman Sugar to MWFPA!
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Trump Starts Water Rule Repeal
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 President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday kicking off the process of repealing former President Obama's Clean Water Rule.
The order itself doesn't repeal the regulation, but it instructs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider the rule, also known as Waters of the United States.
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FSMA Rules Also Extend to Shipping
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Federal regulation enacted earlier this year will soon require carriers to constantly monitor temperatures inside refrigerated and non-refrigerated trailers and vans when they haul certain perishable food for human or animal consumption. Read more from
Food Processing.
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IL Ranks Fourth In Food Manufacturing
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 New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Illinois ranks fourth in the nation for food manufacturing when measured by value of shipments.
The state's $43.7 billion in food shipments during 2015 placed it behind Wisconsin, Texas and California. Read the MWFPA
news release.
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WI Hi Cap Well Bill To Modify Regulation Introduced
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WI Assembly Republicans have introduced an identical companion bill to a Senate measure that would modify high-capacity well regulation (
SB 76/AB 105).
Last month Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald introduced a bill exempting well repairs and ownership transfers from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' additional review and calling for groundwater studies in the central sands region of WI.
The Senate passed an identical bill last session but it died in the Assembly. That chamber passed a similar bill but included language that would have required the loser of well nuisance actions to pay attorney fees. The Assembly bill then died in the Senate due to Republican opposition in that chamber to the attorney fee provision.
Removal of this provision in the current Assembly version of the bill eliminates the stumbling block that prevented passage of the proposal last year.
MWFPA supports this legislation as a means to provide certainty for farmers who need to repair, replace, reconstruct or transfer ownership of a high capacity well.
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MN Budget Surplus Rises To $1.65 Billion
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An economic forecast prepared by the Department of Minnesota Management and Budget reports the state has a $1.65 billion surplus to work with as lawmakers prepare a new two-year budget to go into effect in July. Read more.
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MN Business Leaders Showcase Importance Of Immigration
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State House Passes MN Sick Pay/Minimum Wage Preemption Measure
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The MN House has passed a bill that would prevent cities from implementing their own sick pay and minimum wage rules. The so-called "preemption" bill passed 76 to 53.
The legislation preempts ordinances, like one passed in St. Paul and Minneapolis, requiring certain sized companies to give workers paid sick time. The legislation would end a confusing and costly patchwork of ordinances in Minnesota cities.
The bill now moves on to the Minnesota Senate. MWFPA supports the measure.
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IL "Grand Bargain" Doesn't Have Votes For Now
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 A Wednesday vote on the IL Senate's grand bargain budget package was canceled when not enough support was found among Republicans.
The day began with the votes to be taken on workers compensation changes and tax hikes, but votes from the Republicans were not there.
Senate President John Cullerton is blaming Governor Rauner for discouraging bi-partisan support. The governor's staff says more work needs to be done on the series of bills to assure it's a good deal for everyone.
The Senate approved five of the 12 bills tied into the grand bargain Tuesday, passing a spending bill that would fund the state's social service agencies and public colleges and universities through June.
In addition, senators approved bills from the package to fund Chicago teacher pensions and expand gaming revenues by authorizing six new casinos throughout the state. However, Cullerton's pension reform bill failed for the second time. He placed the measure on postponed consideration so it can be voted on later, which is important because all the bills in the package need to pass for any to become law.
The minimum wage increase, which would have incrementally increased the minimum wage to $11 an hour, was pulled from the package because the proposed increase did not go far enough, according to some legislators.
While SB 9 (tax omnibus) and SB 12 (workers' compensation) were not called for a vote this week, both received amendments.
MWFPA along with other business organizations remains opposed to the entire package due to the adverse impact SB 9 and a watered down workers' compensation bill would have on the state's business climate.
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Hydro-THERMAL Honored With Manufacturer Of The Year Award
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MWFPA Scholarship Deadline Today
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 The application deadline for the MWFPA Scholarship is here - March 3, 2017!
The MWFPA Scholarship may award up to $2,000 (depending on availability of funds) in scholarship money to deserving children of parents or guardians who are employees of MWFPA member companies. They must also be a high school senior or post-secondary student accepted into, or attending, any post-secondary school in the United States.
Last year eighteen $1,000 scholarships were awarded under the program.
Undergraduate students attending, or planning to attend, UW Madison, Platteville or River Falls are eligible for Friday/Weckel scholarships. Applications are due by April 28, 2017. Last year six scholarships were awarded totaling $9,000.
Information and applications can be downloaded from the MWFPA
website, or by contacting Brian Elliott at:
brian.elliott@mwfpa.org, or by calling 608-255-9946.
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MWFPA Offers Exclusive Property & Casualty Insurance Program For Members
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 The Midwest Food Products Association is pleased to announce that
its members now have access to an exclusive insurance program that is written specifically for our industry. With assistance from the risk management firm Hays Companies, this program offers a customized Property and Casualty insurance program.
The program offers a complete insurance program for all business types, from processor to manufacturers, logistics to wholesaler and anything in between. No market segment is excluded, and no organization is too large or too small.
Learn more about what the MWFPA Insurance Program can do for you by visiting the program's website:
https://mwfpa.haysprograms.com/.
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MWFPA Events You Won't Want To Miss
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April 26, 2017: MWFPA Sanitation Seminar, Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells,WI.
May 31 - June 1, 2017:
MWFPA Spring Summit & Scramble.Trappers Turn Golf Course, Wisconsin Dells, WI
October 5, 2017:
MWFPA Sporting Clay Challenge. Milford Hills Hunt Club,
Johnson Creek, WI.
November 28 - 30, 2017:
MWFPA 113th Annual Convention and 90th Processing Crops Conference. Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN.
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Other Educational Opportunities
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April 24-27, 2017: Better Process Control School, Madison, WI.
The early registration deadline for the school is Monday, April 3rd. The cost of the training includes the updated (2016) course manual from FDA. Links to online registration, a course schedule, and other information can be found here:
www.foodsafety.wisc.edu Questions? Contact the conference registration services at 608-262-2451 or Dr. Barbara Ingham (University of Wisconsin) 608-263-7383.
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