The mission of Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association is to organize, promote and serve the mutual needs of firms involved in the processing, handling and merchandising of grain, feed, and other agricultural commodities within the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association


Bi-Weekly NewsBulletin                       Volume 1, Issue #11 - 11/22/2005

 

Topics in this Issue:

1. Capacity of US Transportation System
2. Ag Appropriations Bill Approved by Congress 
3. L&I Using New Software to Detect Workers' Comp Fraud
4. Columbia River Channel Deepening:  Funding Update 
5. US Army Corps of Engineers:  2006 Maintenance Lock Closures
6. L&I Reports on Workers Comp Premiums 
7. Job Opportunity 
8. Have a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving!!! 
9. Warehousemen's Planning Meeting - November 11th

 

Industry News:

Capacity of US Transportation System

On November 9th, the National Grain & Feed Association teamed up with the North American Export Grain Association to stress the serious economic issue of our constrained transportation system.  They feel that we need to come up with a new strategy for transportation investment so that our system remains a strength in the competitiveness of our agricultural industry.
 

Ag Appropriations Bill Approved by Congress
The House and Senate completed action on the 2006 agricultural appropriations bill (H.R. 2744), which will delay mandatory country of origin labeling of meat (as reported in the last NewsBulletin).   An important note in this version of the bill is that it rejects the administrations proposal to assess additional user fees to finance grain inspection standardization.
 

L&I Using New Software to Detect Workers' Comp Fraud 
TUMWATER - The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has begun running every open workplace-injury claim through software that will help detect workers' compensation fraud.

The software screens claims based on about 100 criteria, looking for irregularities such as delays between doctor's appointments and care that is inconsistent with the injury. Claims scoring high will be assigned to the most experienced claim managers for review.  Questionable claims will be turned over to L&I fraud investigators.

"Detecting fraud early and preventing it is one of our top priorities," said L&I Director Gary Weeks.  "This software gives us a cost-effective way of targeting our anti-fraud effort so that we identify and close a fraudulent claim before we've paid out thousands of dollars in benefits."

L&I has contracted with Fair Isaac Corp., which will use its software to scan every open time-loss claim twice monthly.  A one-time charge of $16.26 will be billed to the claim. No matter how many times the software scans the claim, the claim will only be billed once.

L&I's Fraud Prevention and Compliance Program targets workers who file false claims and collect benefits they aren't entitled to, employers who don't pay their premiums and providers who charge for services they didn't perform.  In fiscal year 2005, 19 L&I fraud investigations were turned over to county and federal prosecutors.

L&I runs the state's workers' compensation system, which provides insurance coverage to about 2.3 million workers and 161,000 employers.


Columbia River Channel Deepening:  Funding Update
On November 7th, the US House-Senate conference committee on the Fiscal Year 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill agreed to $15 million in funding for the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project to deepen the lower Columbia River navigation channel from 40 to 43 feet.  The committee also agreed to provide $17 million to repair jetties at the mouth of the Columbia River.  For more information please visit the Columbia River Channel Coalition's website.
Job Opportunity 
A national executive search firm is recruiting for an Executive Director for the Organic Trade Association (OTA).  For more information on this position, please see the attached information.


US Corps of Engineers:  2006 Annual Maintenance Lock Closures
Annual maintenance lock closure for the Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers is scheduled for March 2006.  Maintenance, inspection and repair work will take place at the locks during the outage.  The navigation locks listed below will be closed beginning March 11, 2006, 6:00 a.m. and reopen March 25, 2006 at 11:59 p.m.

 

McNary Lock & Dam

CO river mile 292

Ice Harbor Lock & Dam

SN river mile 9.7

Lower Monumental Lock & Dam

SN river mile 41.6

Little Goose Lock & Dam

SN river mile 70.3

Lower Granite Lock & Dam

SN river mile 107.3

For more information on this matter, please call Ann Glassley, at (509) 527-7115 or Jim Bluhm, at (509) 527-7114.  

Public Notices and other navigation lock information are available on the internet at: www.nww.usace.army.mil/html/offices/op/t/navdata/default.html  

 

L&I Reports on Workers Comp Premium
11/17/05 -- The Department of Labor and Industries said there will be no general increase in workers' compensation premiums in 2006.  In August, the agency proposed a 3.8 percent increase.  But because of good investment returns, a strong economy, the agency's success at controlling its medical costs and a continued decline in the frequency of workplace-injury claims combined to make an increase unnecessary.  

 

 

Association News:

Thanksgiving Holiday
The Board of Directors & Staff of the Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association want to Wish You a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving!!


Warehousemen's Conference
The Planning Committee met on Friday, November 11th to outline some of our speakers and topics for the 2006 Warehousemen's Conference.  It looks like it will be another GREAT event.  Watch your mail, I will be sending out some preliminary information in the first couple weeks of December. 

GREAT NEWS:  The Resort was able to book Sammy Eubanks (Fabulous Blues Man) to play in the lounge on the nights we are at the Resort, so bring your dancing shoes!

We will be at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in February 2006 for our Warehousemen’s Conference.  Please mark your calendar with the following dates: February 9-10, 2006. Our conference rate is $89 for economy rooms, $109 for Deluxe rooms and $119 for Premier rooms.  (They are in the process of renovating their economy rooms, so all rooms will be great.)  For reservations please call 1-800-688-5253.

 

 

Contact Us:

Pacific Northwest Grain & Feed Association
Becky Andrews, Association Director

200 SW Market Street, Suite 190, Portland, Oregon 97201
Phone: (503) 227-0234, Fax: (503) 227-0059, e-mail: Becky@pnwgfa.org