February 2019 - 39

INDUSTRY NEWS
H-2A's ad rule
draws comments
The U.S. Department of Labor
(DOL) sought comments on a
proposal to
eliminate the
newspaper
recruitment
obligation
and replacing
it with a
requirement
that agricultural employers seek
U.S. workers via the internet, which
the department says will be more
cost-effective and efficient for
farmers. A 30-day comment period
regarding the online rule proposal
ended Dec. 10.
Currently, a farmer who wants to
hire employees through the federal
government's H-2A program must
demonstrate that he or she tried
to find U.S. workers through
advertisements in a newspaper of
general circulation in the area of
intended employment.
In its comments, American
Farm Bureau Federation opposed
the proposal. Farm Bureau is
recommending the department
allow the option of using either
online or newsprint advertisements
as a way of fulfilling the H-2A
recruitment obligation. Farm
Bureau suggests the department
drop the termination date for the
transition and adopt a method to
examine how well it is functioning.
The National Council of Agricultural
Employers (NCAE) supported the DOL
proposal in its comments.
" This is great news and a good
start to a needed reform process
for the H-2A visa, " said Michael
Marsh, NCAE president and CEO.
" NCAE's advocacy early in the
Trump administration has begun to
bear fruit. "
Pesticide residue study
part of grant award
Washington State University's Lav
Khot will look to reduce reliance
on broad spectrum pesticides that
result in residues on food with a
grant from the Foundation for Food
and Agriculture Research (FFAR).
" In the lab, we'll look at how
efficient we are in effectively
delivering ozonated water as spray
to control insects and other pests, "
said Khot, the principal investigator
of the project. " The challenge is to
deliver the required concentration
at the point of contact. If we're
successful, then we'll apply the
sprays in a limited manner with the
goal of reducing chemical residues
on the produce. "
Khot and his collaborators
received one of FFAR's New
Investigator awards for 2018, which
includes a three-year, $300,000
grant. Part of the grant will be
used to study the usefulness of
ozonated water, or water that has
the O3 molecule, also known as
ozone, dissolved into it.
Fertilizer groups do
plant nutrition work
The members and the board of
directors of the International Plant
Nutrition Institute (IPNI) voted
in mid-December to undertake a
major organizational restructure
which will include the transfer of
key scientific assets and programs
to The Fertilizer Institute, Fertilizer
Canada and the International
Fertilizer Association. These
three organizations will receive
enhanced support for initiatives
in 4R nutrient stewardship,
regional agronomic Extension and
The final transfer of assets,
including the closing of IPNI's Atlanta,
Georgia headquarters and regional
offices will be effective on June
30. IPNI Canada will continue to
operate from its office in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, and the Foundation
for Agronomic Research will remain
the umbrella organization for the 4R
Research Fund.
Terry Roberts will manage
the transition over the next six
months and further details will be
announced as they become available.
engagement with the scientific
community, policymakers and
other stakeholders.
" IPNI has long lent scientific
expertise to the fertilizer industry's
efforts to address environmental
and food production challenges. The
fertilizer industry remains committed
to helping farmers improve fertilizer
management and to monitoring
the performance with which our
products are used, " said Tony Will,
president and CEO of CF Industries
and chairman of the board of IPNI.
VGN | FEBRUARY 2019 | 39
February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2019
