Broadband Issues & FSMA Final Rule

Broadband Issues & FSMA Final Rule. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

We live in the way out west. There is a lot of space between places outside of towns and that makes good neighbors, it makes bad access to high speed broadband. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says more rural areas could be getting high speed internet access through a new round of grants.

VILSACK: Under our Community Connect program being available for broadband expansion. I still think we have work to do on the speed of that broadband so that rural communities, rural entrepreneurs, rural business owners, farmers have access to broadband that really gets them instantaneous information.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today published a final rule establishing procedures for handling retaliation complaints under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.  The final rule also explains the burdens of proof, remedies and statute of limitations similar to other whistleblower protection statutes that OSHA administers. Section 402 of FSMA, signed into law January 2011, protects employees who disclose information about a possible violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act from retaliation by employers that manufacture, process, pack, transport, distribute, receive, hold or import food. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels said "This rule underscores the agency's commitment to protect the rights of workers who report illegal activity in their workplace."

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.