Note 22 - Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

22.   Commitments and Contingencies

Collective Bargaining Agreements

While employees of the Company’s Brazilian operations are unionized, none of the labor force employed by the Company’s domestic or other foreign subsidiaries is currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Environmental

On September 30, 2004, the Company completed its acquisition of the polyester filament manufacturing assets located in Kinston, North Carolina from INVISTA S.a.r.l (“Invista”). The land for the Kinston site was leased pursuant to a 99 year ground lease (“Ground Lease”) with E.I. DuPont de Nemours (“DuPont”). Since 1993, DuPont has been investigating and cleaning up the Kinston site under the supervision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (“DENR”) pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action program. The Corrective Action program requires DuPont to identify all potential areas of environmental concern (“AOCs”), assess the extent of containment at the identified AOCs and to clean it up to comply with applicable regulatory standards. Effective March 20, 2008, the Company entered into a Lease Termination Agreement associated with conveyance of certain assets at Kinston to DuPont. This agreement terminated the Ground Lease and relieved the Company of any future responsibility for environmental remediation, other than participation with DuPont, if so called upon, with regard to the Company’s period of operation of the Kinston site, which was from 2004 to 2008. However, the Company continues to own a satellite service facility acquired in the INVISTA transaction that has contamination from DuPont’s operations and is monitored by DENR. This site has been remediated by DuPont, and DuPont has received authority from DENR to discontinue remediation, other than natural attenuation. DuPont’s duty to monitor and report to DENR will be transferred to the Company in the future, at which time DuPont must pay the Company for seven years of monitoring and reporting costs and the Company will assume responsibility for any future remediation and monitoring of the site. At this time, the Company has no basis to determine if or when it will have any responsibility or obligation with respect to the AOCs or the extent of any potential liability for the same.

Operating Leases

The Company routinely leases sales and administrative office space, warehousing and distribution centers, manufacturing space, transportation equipment, manufacturing equipment, and other information technology and office equipment from third parties. In addition, Renewables leases farm land for use in growing FREEDOM® Giant Miscanthus (“FGM”). Currently, the Company does not sub-lease any of its leased property.