CSP Applications & Rest Break Webinar

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has opened the Conservation Stewardship Program for new enrollments for federal fiscal year 2014. Now, through January 17 producers interested in participating in the program can submit applications to NRCS. The Conservation Stewardship Program is now in its fifth year and to date, NRCS has partnered with producers to enroll more than 59 million acres across the U.S..?

Agricultural employers are required to allow workers a ten minute rest break for each four hour period of employment. Recently a lawsuit was filed against an agricultural employer "claiming" that the employer did not allow piece rate workers to take the required ten minute rest break. Because of the seeming confusion over what piece rate workers are entitled to when it comes to meal and rest break regulation requirements, Washington Farm Labor Association has designed a webinar to help growers understand the regulations and protect their operations. Ag Information Network's Greg Martin has the details.

MARTIN: On Tuesday, December 10th, from 11 am till noon the Washington Farm Labor Association will be conducting a webinar to help ag employers better understand the meal and rest break regulation requirements. At this webinar WAFLA members will learn about the requirements of rest breaks for agricultural and general industry and how they differ, review the newly written management briefing explaining the exact steps to take in proving workers were allowed rest breaks, and how to implement a rest break program. For more information or to register for the webinar visit wafla.org.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.