WVFA eNews Weekly

Thank you for your support of WVFA efforts to urge the West Virginia Division of Labor to withdraw its proposed emergency rules on the minimum wage. The Division of Labor has formally requested to withdraw the rules, after being inundated with comments from the West Virginia employer-community. We look forward to working with the Division of Labor and others to implement the intent of the new minimum wage bill (H.B. 201) that was passed in May.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/wvf-nwl/articles/?aid=301576&issueID=40936 to view the full article online.

The Agriculture Department's Farm Service Agency (FSA) has released its final supplemental programmatic environmental impact statement (SPEIS), a precursor to an interim final rule to regulate one of the oldest federal conservation programs. Dating back to the 1985 Farm Bill, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pays landowners to set aside land for conservation. For the first time, the program will use a reverse auction in order to prioritize lands where the greatest environmental gains—wildlife habitat restoration, water quality benefits or reduced soil erosion, for example—can be achieved at the lowest cost. FSA is pursuing this "targeted enrollment" to do more with fewer resources. "Targeted enrollment could enable FSA to meet the reduced CRP enrollment cap, while preserving the ability to enroll land that would provide the greatest environmental benefit," states the SPEIS. The 2014 Farm Bill made a number of changes to the CRP. Most notably, it shrank the number of eligible acres from 32 million to 24 million over the five-year life of the bill, with an additional 750,000 acres of wetlands set aside. It also authorizes landowners to collect hay and graze animals on CRP lands in times of drought without facing a 10 to 25 percent payment reduction, as was the case before.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/wvf-nwl/articles/?aid=301574&issueID=40936 to view the full article online.

For room reservations at the Charleston Marriott Hotel call 304-345-6500 and mention the code FRR (the code MUST be mentioned) to get our block of rooms. Reservations should be called in to the hotel, before the room-block cutoff date of January 22.

Feb. 4 - A.B. Brooks Symposium - Developing Agenda
7:30 a.m. Breakfast:
The Election and its Effect on 2015 Legislation - Speaker Invited
9:00 a.m. Symposium:
Northern Long-Eared Bat Update - Kathy Becket, Steptoe & Johnson - Speaker Confirmed
Birthplace of Rivers as National Monument - Speaker Invited
Managed Timberland Tax - Kathryn Arano, WVU - Speaker Confirmed
Premises Liability (Landowner Liability) - Speaker Invited
Waters of the U.S. - Steve Butler, WV Farm Bureau - Speaker Confirmed
Urban Forestry - Liz Moss, WVDOF - Speaker Confirmed

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/wvf-nwl/pdf/ABBrooksReg-15b.pdf to view the full article online.

RESCHEDULED:
* Area 1 - Monday, Jan. 5, at the Copper House Grill located at 1155 Airport Rd, in Pleasant Valley, WV. Time: 6 p.m. (social period) 7 p.m. (meal)
* Area 2 - Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Landes Ruritan Club Building (5 miles south of Petersburg route 220). Time: 6 p.m.

AS PLANNED:
* Area 3 - Thursday, Dec. 18, at The Gandy Dancer Theater in Elkins. Time: 6 p.m. (social period) 6:30 p.m. (meal)
* Area 4 - Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Ryan’s Restaurant located at 1320 N. Eisenhower Dr. in Beckley. Time: 6:30 p.m.
* Area 5 - Wednesday, Dec. 17, at Buffalo Wild Wings located at 2501 Mountaineer Blvd. in Charleston. Time: 5:30 p.m.
* Area 6 - Thursday, Jan. 8, at the 4-H Camp facility across from Wood County/Interstate Fair. Time: 5 p.m. (exhibit viewing) 6:30 p.m. (meeting)

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/wvf-nwl/articles/?aid=301680&issueID=40936 to view the full article online.