USA Rice Daily Up-to-the-Minute News on Issues and Activities Tuesday September 29, 2015 Final Worker Protection Standards Rule a Litany of Overreach  WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted a pre-publication version of the final Worker Protection Standards (WPS) yesterday and held a multi-agency press conference call to share details.  On the call, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy stated that the rule raised the age of non-family members applying agricultural pesticides from 16 to 18; moved training from every five years to annual; expanded training to include items such as how to not take pesticides home from work; required new recordkeeping to be held for two years; and required farms to follow OSHA standards for fit testing of masks and keeping of medical records.    McCarthy said the rule is allied with Environmental Justice concerns to protect minority farmworkers.   According to McCarthy, these and other requirements will cost farm owners about $400 per year.  McCarthy then thanked federal partners the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who worked on the rule, and the Department of Justice which EPA will collaborate with in the future.  USA Rice submitted 10 pages of comments early in the process that focused on contradictory statements in the rule, issues of apparent privacy violations, a lack of understanding of rural areas, and availability of immediate healthcare facilities, and grossly understated costs of the rule to farm owners.   In her only nod to public comments, McCarthy stated that pesticide warning signs were not being changed as proposed, thanks to comments from farmworker advocacy groups who liked the current signs.   Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Thomas Perez echoed the work with EPA and other federal partners on "this law enforcement" issue, citing the need for a safe working environment, justice, and good housing for farm workers and stated that DOL will play an aggressive role in this process with the agricultural community.  He noted the rule also contains a robust anti-retaliation program that aligns with OSHA requirements.   Perez handed the call off to Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers who cited their past work in protecting farm workers from pesticides and lauded the whistleblower protections in the new rule.   The rule is not yet published in the Federal Register but will go into effect 60 days after publication.  Deadline for compliance with the rule will be sometime in the winter of 2016-17.  USA Rice staff will continue to analyze the rule for its impact on rice.   Contact:  Michael Klein (703) 236-1458 CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures    CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for September 29 Month Price Net Change November 2015 $13.325 - $0.015 January 2016 $13.615 - $0.015 March 2016 $13.835 - $0.010 May 2016 $13.980 - $0.020 July 2016 $14.110 + $0.075 September 2016 $13.240 + $0.150 November 2016 $13.240  + $0.150 In the News  Around the Country New #Womeninag Infographics Show Impact of Women in Agriculture in Every State USDA Blog To celebrate and honor the contributions of women in agriculture, USDA is releasing a series of state-by-state infographics detailing the impact women have on agriculture in each state and across the country. Be sure to share these infographics on social media or print them to help tell the story of women in ag in your state!     Tariffs and Trade In Cuba, Arkansas Governor Seeks to Chip Away at Embargo New York Times Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Monday urged the U.S. Congress to allow food companies to sell to Cuba on credit, favoring it as a first step in a gradual repeal of sanctions against the Communist-led island. Hutchinson, a Republican, is the first U.S. governor to visit Cuba since Washington and Havana restored diplomatic relations in July after a 54-year break. Japan Considers Making New Offer on U.S. Rice in Atlanta TPP Talks Japan Times Tokyo is now looking at a proposal where it will allocate 50,000 tons for medium-grain rice within an existing 770,000-ton quota for all rice imports set under an earlier multilateral trade agreement, the source said.   Rice Farmers React to Low Yields and Cuba Trade KATV While good news with Cuba may be on the way, some bad news for farmers could be lurking in the rows of rice. Lower crop yields are projected this year anywhere from 5 to 10 percent less than last year.   White House Hopes Talks Lead to Final Deal on Asia-Pacific Free-Trade Accord Washington Post The White House had hoped to get the final deal to lawmakers by the end of this year to avoid the messy politics of an election season. But even if the administration breaks impasses on several thorny issues between the TPP countries and closes a deal this week, it is unlikely that trade legislation will reach the House and Senate floors for another three to four months at the earliest. Upcoming Events  Events Calendar   Recent Issues September 28 September 25 September 24 September 23 September 22 Mission Statement USA Rice is the global advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry with a mission to promote and protect the interests of producers, millers, merchants and allied businesses. About Us Editor:  Michael Klein (703) 236-1458 mklein@usarice.com Fax (703) 236-2301 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 610 Arlington, VA 22201 This report is time-sensitive, based on information available at press time. Content is derived from facts and sources believed to be reliable. Reprinting and/or distribution may be done with permission of the USA Rice. Copyright © 2015. 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