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Penalties for improper farm accident or death reporting are increasing
Penalties for not reporting accidental deaths in a timely manner could fine farms and ag businesses out of business.
Michigan Farm Bureau’s Craig Anderson tells Brownfield the failed Build Back Better proposal included language raising penalties for farms that don’t comply with reporting requirements to $700,000.
“Those are really business-killing type of penalties,” he says.
Anderson says OSHA penalties are also set to increase this year to keep pace with the cost of living, up 6.2 percent.
“That will move it up to about $140,000 for a serious and willful violation,” he explains.
Legislation to reduce fees on family farms in that situation is awaiting the governor’s signature in Michigan, but it does not provide widespread protection.
“So it is challenging, but we are attempting to do some reduction for these small farms,” he says.
Anderson spoke with Brownfield at the Great Lakes Crop Summit.
