Monthly Archives: April 2020

Walz Extends MN Stay-At-Home Until May 18, But Retailers Can Partially Reopen

Gov. Tim Walz has extended Minnesota’s stay-at-home order for another two weeks so that it will now expire on May 18 instead of the previously scheduled May 4, but he eased some restrictions on businesses and discussed other possible relaxation of social-distancing rules in the future. Read more from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Senate Republican Calls For Expanded Executive Order To Include Produce Processing

Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) is calling on the Trump administration to include fruit and vegetable processing plants in an executive order meant to keep meat processing facilities open during the coronavirus pandemic. Braun requested the administration include canneries and frozen food suppliers in the order President Trump signed Tuesday evening to secure the U.S. supply of non-perishable foods. “I urge you […]

Trump Orders Meat Processing Plants To Remain Open Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered beef, pork and poultry processing plants to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic. Citing his authority under the Defense Production Act the executive order classifies meat processing as critical infrastructure to try to prevent a shortage of chicken, pork and other meat on supermarket shelves. Trump declared in an […]

MWFPA Human Resources Committee Selects Scholarship Award Winners

The MWFPA Human Resources Committee has selected 20 applicants to receive this year’s MWFPA Scholarships. Each scholarship winner will receive $1,000. The recipients and the companies with which their parents or guardians are employed, as well as their home city are as follows: 1. McKenna Bell (Can Lines Engineering, Brillion, WI) 2. Faith Buhrandt (Seneca […]

FDA Relaxes Onsite Observation Requirements Under FSMA Third-Party Certification Program

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a guidance to communicate its temporary policy regarding certain requirements under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Accredited Third-Party Certification Program for foreign food entities and their products. The guidance addresses the current challenges with conducting onsite monitoring activities during the COVID-19 public health emergency by […]

IL Judge Issues Restraining Order In Workers’ Comp Case

A Sangamon County Judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of emergency worker compensation rules creating an automatic presumption that an employee’s workplace was the cause of COVID-19 cases. The action is the result of a lawsuit filed by the Illinois Manufacturers Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association.  On April 13, the Illinois […]

Pritzker Extends IL Stay-at-Home Order Through May 30

IL Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday announced he is extending the statewide stay-at-home order through May 30 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Starting May 1 the state will require people to wear face coverings in public. The governor also will make some modifications to the stay-at-home order to gradually reopen some state parks, to allow golf, […]

House Passes $484 Billion Coronavirus Aid Package

The House on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to pass legislation providing roughly $484 billion in coronavirus relief for small businesses, hospitals and expanded medical testing. The bill will provide an immediate $321 billion infusion for the Paycheck Protection Program, the small business rescue fund that ran out of money last week. The $484 billion package also […]