Injunction Agreement Reached In Case Against Paynesville Dairy

(KNSI) – The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announces a stipulated temporary injunction in its case against a Paynesville dairy farm.

The document essentially serves as a temporary restraining order agreed to by both sides. It does not mean that the defendants, Evergreen Acres Dairy and its owners, Keith Schaefer and Megan Hill, admit wrongdoing in the case.

The conditions apply to employee wages and housing conditions. Evergreen Acres Dairy, Evergreen Estates, and Morgan Feedlots are required to meticulously keep hourly pay cards that clearly identify a.m. and p.m. for when they are punching out or in. The employees must receive a fixed hourly rate unless they have knowingly agreed to another compensation arrangement. The companies are also prohibited from making any deductions from their wages unless it is a garnishment signed off on by a court.

A housing inspector has been hired, and he must be able to tour employee living quarters and note any deficiencies compared to state code. Within 30 days, the inspector would produce a report detailing what needs to be fixed. The farm is then required to respond within a month, showing they have remedied the problems or giving a timeline for when the repairs would be completed. They cannot charge rent until the work is done and has been signed off on by the inspector after a final tour of the premises.

Read more about the case here.

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