Michigan Farmers Eligible for Direct Assistance

Michigan Farmers Eligible for Direct Assistance

by | May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized

Michigan Farmers Eligible for Direct Assistance Through USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Contact: Jennifer Holton 517-284-5724

Effective May 26, 2020, Michigan’s nearly 48,000 farmers can start enrolling for coronavirus relief payments as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s $16 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

 

“Michigan is fortunate to be home to a strong, resilient and diverse food and ag sector, said Gary McDowell, director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “There is an army of people who grow, process, and retail our food who have also been hit hard by COVID-19. Governor Whitmer and MDARD continue to work with our partners at USDA to ensure our farmers and ag community members have access to the aid they need to weather this pandemic.”

 

Under the CFAP program, the aid is prorated — meaning farmers will receive 80 percent of payment in the initial distribution with the remaining 20 percent paid as funds remain available. Farmers should start receiving payment within a week of enrolling, with payments being capped at $250,000 per individual recipient.

 

Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local USDA Farm Service Agency office. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020. FSA has streamlined the sign-up process by not requiring an acreage report at the time of application, and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested.

Individuals who receive less than 75 percent of their income from farming can still receive CFAP payments if their adjusted gross income does not exceed $900,000 annually. Corporations, limited liability companies, or limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits where members actively provide personal labor or personal management for the farming operation.

 

Below are USDA’s farmer guidelines:

 

  • For wool and row crops, including malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, durum wheat, and hard red spring wheat, payments will be based on inventory subject to price risk held as of Jan. 15. A payment will be made based on 50 percent of a producer’s 2019 total production or the 2019 inventory as of Jan. 15, whichever is smaller. That amount will be multiplied by the commodity’s applicable payment rates.

 

  • For cattle, lambs, yearlings and hogs, the payment will be calculated based on the producer’s number of livestock sold between Jan. 15 and April 15, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, multiplied by the payment rate per head.

 

  • For dairy producers, the payment will be based in part on the farmer’s milk production for the first quarter of 2020, multiplied by the national price decline during the same quarter. A second part of the payment will be based on a national adjustment to each producer’s first-quarter production.

 

  • For specialty crops, including almonds, beans, broccoli, sweet corn, lemons, iceberg lettuce, spinach, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes, payments will be based on the amount a farm sold between Jan. 15 and April 15; the volume a farm shipped during the period but was not paid for; and the number of acres that was never harvested.

 

More information and a full list of eligible crops can be found online at farmers.gov/cfap.

 

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Michigan Announces Change in Reporting of COVID-19 Testing Data

Michigan Announces Change in Reporting of COVID-19 Testing Data

by | May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized

Michigan Announces Change in Reporting of COVID-19 Testing Data

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2020

CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112

LANSING, MICH. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) today changed the way it reports data on COVID-19 testing.

The change makes the data more accurate and relevant as the state continues to expand diagnostic testing to help slow and contain the spread of COVID-19. The update to the website separates out the results of two different types of tests – serology and diagnostic. Michigan – along with some other states – has not separated data for diagnostic and serology tests.

Data on serology testing – also known as antibody testing – is separated from the other testing numbers. Currently, serology testing can be used to help determine whether someone has ever had COVID-19, while traditional viral diagnostic tests determine if someone has active disease.

“Accuracy and transparency are paramount as we continue to respond to this pandemic,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “We continue to expand and improve data reporting to make sure the public understands where their community stands with the COVID-19 outbreak.”

MDHHS emphasizes that the change in reporting does not affect the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in Michigan. It does lower the percentage of positive tests over the last nine days – when serology testing became more common. Michigan’s overall percentage of positive tests since the beginning of the outbreak remains virtually the same – changing from 14.2 percent positive tests to 14.3 percent.

Michigan’s COVID-19 website now shows results for 512,891 total tests reported to the state – with 450,918 diagnostic test results and 61,973 serology results.

Diagnostic tests are most helpful in tracking the spread of COVID-19 since they can show the number of people who currently have the COVID-19 virus. Serology tests are still being studied regarding their utility.  They are currently most helpful in understanding how much a community may have been exposed to the disease. However, it is unknown if the presence of an antibody truly means someone is immune to COVID-19, and if so, for how long. Results of antibody tests should not change decisions on whether an individual should return to work, or if they should quarantine based on exposure to someone with the disease.

Approximately 12 percent of Michigan’s tests overall have been serology tests; about 60 percent of those have been from the past nine days.

Testing data can be found on the Lab Testing page of Michigan’s coronavirus website.

Information around the COVID-19 outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

AG Nessel Continues Consumer Protection Work

AG Nessel Continues Consumer Protection Work

by | May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized

Attorney General Dana Nessel

Media Contact:

Courtney Covington
(o) 517-335-7666 (c) 517-290-1560

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, May 26, 2020

AG Nessel Continues Consumer Protection Work with Price-gouging Enforcement

LANSING – As Michigan’s fight against a deadly pandemic continues, Attorney General Dana Nessel has stayed the course in protecting consumers from businesses and retailers charging excessively high prices for products.

Nessel’s office has taken multiple actions to rein in predatory business practices by both brick-and-mortar establishments and online sellers throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This public emergency is not an excuse to rip people off, and my office will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect consumers from being taken advantage of,” Nessel said. “I am committed to serving the people of Michigan and I will not allow predatory businesses to profit off vulnerable people who are concerned for their well-being and faced with the uncertainty surrounding this crisis.”

Since early March when COVID-19 concerns became present in Michigan, Nessel’s office has received more than 4,200 complaints about businesses and individuals who are price-gouging consumers during this crisis, but some of these complaints do not warrant further investigation and, unfortunately, many do not contain enough information to verify the complaints as legitimate.

Consumers are encouraged to file a complaint online with the Attorney General’s office so that the complaint contains as much information as needed to properly evaluate a response.

Recent actions the Attorney General’s office has taken with respect to price-gouging include:

A.M. Cleaning & Supplies

A.M. Cleaning & Supplies in Ann Arbor has been under investigation by the Attorney General’s office for price-gouging for several weeks, and the business has failed to provide documents requested by investigators. The Attorney General’s office recently filed a motion in Washtenaw County Circuit Court to enforce its civil investigative subpoena, along with a brief in support of that motion. The motion asks the court to order production of the documents, and to impose a $1,000 civil fine for the non-compliance.

The Attorney General’s office has received multiple consumer complaints against A.M. Cleaning that allege the store drastically increased its prices of hand sanitizer. Complaints began after the business posted a message on social media advertising hand sanitizer at $60 for a 12-ounce bottle, $40 for an 8-ounce bottle and $20 for a 4-ounce bottle. Days before, the bottles were reportedly priced at $7.50, $5 and $2.50, respectively.

BioMed 

The Attorney General’s office recently completed an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) with BioMed Wellness Center. An AVC is a tool provided for in the Michigan Consumer Protection Act (MCPA) that allows for the resolution of an alleged  violation without litigation.

BioMed was the subject of a cease and desist letter from the Attorney General’s office in early April. The Attorney General was concerned about BioMed’s apparently excessive prices on products like gloves and hand sanitizers in comparison to other companies selling the same or similar products.

Under the AVC, the business agreed to reduce its prices on sanitizers, gloves and face masks. It also is paying the State of Michigan $2,000, most of which is designated for reimbursements to consumers through a claims process to be administered by the Attorney General. Consumers who believe they have paid too much for sanitizer, gloves and face masks from BioMed should save their receipts and file a complaint. They will then be sent a claim form.

Smokehouse Distribution 

The Attorney General’s office sent a cease and desist letter to Smokehouse Distribution, a business located in Commerce Township, which was advertising face masks for sale on a website called BeamerSmoke.

The proprietor advertised the surgical-type masks at two for $18 and admitted to investigators that the masks were purchased for about 56 cents apiece. The proprietor also said the higher price was an error that was addressed as soon as it was discovered. However, the price for two masks then dropped to $12 and $10, still a significant markup.

The owner indicated only 17 sales of face masks occurred through the website, but an invoice provided to the Attorney General’s office shows the business purchased nine cases of 2,000 masks each from a supplier.

The business has 10 days to respond to the Attorney General’s office, otherwise additional action could include the launch of a formal investigation through court subpoenas. The business could also agree to an AVC.

Amazon Online Sellers 

The Attorney General’s office signed AVCs with several online sellers operating digital storefronts through Amazon. The office signed AVCs with sellers operating under the usernames CollectiblesJi, Dealz N-KY, Happy Small Hands, HotDealz73 and Warehouse Bricks.

  • CollectiblesJi and Warehouse Bricks were both issued cease and desist letters by the Attorney General’s office in late April. CollectiblesJi was alleged to have grossly inflated the prices of hand sanitizer products sold to consumers. Under the AVC with CollectiblesJi, the seller may continue to offer goods online, but will no longer sell sanitizer, face masks or other consumer goods associated with protection from the COVID-19 pandemic. The seller will also make a payment to the state of nearly $1,800 to compensate for investigative efforts, along with around $210 in refunds to victimized customers.
  • Warehouse Bricks signed an AVC agreeing not to sell products related to protection from COVID-19 and to compensate the state roughly $3,025 for its investigative work and reimburse consumers around $475 for allegedly overpriced products.
  • Dealz N-KY was sent a cease and desist letter in early April, along with Happy Small Hands and HotDealz73. Dealz N-KY is an out-of-state seller, while the other two are located in Michigan.  . Under the AVC signed by Dealz N-KY, the seller agrees not to sell products related to COVID-19 protection, and to pay the state $1,050 to compensate investigative efforts and reimburse about $575 to consumers.
  • Happy Small Hands, or Modern Creations LLC, was allegedly inflating the price of face masks and hand sanitizer products it was selling to consumers. The seller signed an AVC and indicated it would no longer sell those products sought by consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pay the state an amount of  $2,500 to compensate for its work, along with reimbursing consumers for roughly $315 spent on such products.
  • HotDealz73 also was allegedly overpricing face masks and sanitizer and agreed not to sell those products and others related to protection from COVID-19 under its AVC. Also as part of the agreement, the seller will compensate the state with $375 and provide customers about $125 in reimbursement.
Governor Announces Temporary Pay Increase for Direct Care Workers

Governor Announces Temporary Pay Increase for Direct Care Workers

by | May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized

Governor Whitmer Announces Temporary Pay Increase for Direct Care Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2020
Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Announces Temporary Pay Increase for Direct Care Workers
Program Part of Governor’s Ongoing Efforts to Support Front-Line Health Care workers

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced a temporary, $2-per-hour pay raise for direct care workers providing Medicaid-funded in-home behavioral health and long-term care services to Michigan’s most vulnerable residents during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative is part of Governor Whitmer’s ongoing efforts to support front-line health care workers risking their lives every day to protect the health and safety of these residents during the unprecedented public health crisis.

“It has never been more important to care for our most vulnerable residents, and these direct care health workers are risking their lives every day to make sure we continue to flatten the curve,” Governor Whitmer said. “It is our duty as Michiganders to ensure these front-line heroes have the financial support they need to continue doing their critical work while caring for themselves and their families.”

The pay increase will apply to direct care workers providing Medicaid-funded in-home behavioral health and long-term care services for children and adults. The program will apply to services provided between April and June.

“Every day, caregivers are going into the homes of disabled and elderly residents to help them live with dignity,” said State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor). “These heroes work long hours for low pay and little recognition for the critical care they provide. Thank you, Governor Whitmer, for looking out for these caregivers who are risking themselves to look out for our neighbors in need.”

“Direct care workers are on the frontlines and are risking their health in service of our loved ones when they need care the most,” said State Rep. Jon Hoadley (D-Kalamazoo). “Too often, these workers are overlooked and under paid. This pay raise is well-deserved and an important step toward recognizing the invaluable service they perform. I applaud Governor Whitmer’s leadership as we advance a care agenda for our state.”

The pay increase for direct health care workers follows Governor Whitmer’s executive order streamlining health care reporting to better identify where outbreaks are occurring in long-term care facilities to provide help and resources where they are needed most to keep residents and workers safe.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

AG Nessel Continues Consumer Protection Work

Nessel and 51 other AGs Urge Congress to Pass Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act 

by | May 21, 2020 | Uncategorized

Attorney General Dana Nessel

Media Contact:

Ryan Jarvi
(o) 517-335-7666 (c) 517-599-2746

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, May 21, 2020

Attorney General Nessel and 51 other AGs Urge Congress to Pass Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act

LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 52 attorneys general in urging Congress to pass S.3607, the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act (SAFR Act). The Act would permit the families of first responders – who die or are permanently and totally disabled as a result of COVID-19 – to receive the same federal benefits extended to first responders, or their survivors, otherwise killed or injured in the line of duty.

COVID-19 continues to affect communities across the state that first responders continue to support and protect. Current federal law would only allow survivors of a deceased first responder access to certain benefits if evidence is provided proving the deceased or permanently disabled first responder contracted COVID-19 while on duty.

In a letter sent to Congress today, Nessel and 51 other AGs urged quick passage of the SAFR Act. The letter states, in part, “When public safety officers are called to respond, they do not know whether they are coming into contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19. We have seen harrowing stories about how public safety officers have taken heroic actions to save the lives of others, knowing that they risked infection in doing so.”

“Our first responders run toward danger without hesitation and risk their lives day in and day out to protect us. COVID-19 has cast a layer of uncertainty, fear and pain for thousands of people in Michigan, but what remains certain is the unwavering commitment of those on the front lines of this crisis,” said Nessel. “This pandemic has forced us to accept the harsh reality that many of our first responders are paying the ultimate sacrifice. The least we can do is ensure that the families of these brave men and women do not face unnecessary barriers to benefits while they grieve the unfathomable loss of their loved one.”

The SAFR Act would establish a temporary presumption that officers contracted COVID-19 while on duty if diagnosed within 45 days of a first responder’s last shift. The legislation ensures families of officers and first responders lost while fighting the pandemic do not face unnecessary barriers to benefits already promised under existing federal law.

This legislation is sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey. It recently passed the United States Senate and is currently being considered by the House of Representatives.

Attorney General Nessel joins the attorneys general of Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming in signing this letter.