Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Resources for Food and Agriculture

Food Supply: Critical Infrastructure

• The Governor's March 19, 2020 Executive Order N-33-20, ordering all individuals living in the State of California to stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to follow the federal critical infrastructure sectors, which includes working in the food and agriculture sector.
• On March 19, 2020, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross reinforced the importance of the food supply chain as critical infrastructure and released the following guidance regarding COVID-19 and the Food Supply in California.
  CDFA Guidance: COVID-19 and the Food Supply – English CDFA Guidance: COVID-19 and the Food Supply – Spanish
• On March 19, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a guidance with additional details regarding the food supply chain as critical infrastructure.

Guidance for Retail Food, Beverage, and Other Related Service Venues

• On March 16 ,2020, the state posted the following guidance for Retail Food, Beverage, and Other Related Service Venues
• The State of California considers Certified Farmers’ Markets (CFMs) an essential service in the critical food supply chain that allows consumers to purchase nutritious, California-grown agriculture straight from farmers. The guidance above is also for grocery stores, restaurants, food trucks, charitable food distribution sites, and beverage service venues including wineries and breweries.

Guidance for Livestock Markets

• CDFA's guidance for Livestock Markets, released March 27, 2020, outlines best practices to minimize the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining this essential function.

Food Safety

Consumer Information

• FDA, CDC, CDPH, and USDA have all stated that there are no reports at this time of human illnesses that suggests COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging. The CDC is reporting that, in general, because of poor survivability of the coronavirus on surfaces, there is likely a low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated or frozen temperatures. For more information please see our blog post.
• You can also find information on FDA's COVID-19 website.

Inspections for Food Safety

• Food safety is a critical function and all state food inspection programs will continue, including inspections for leafy greens, milk, eggs, and other commodities. Inspectors will provide a five-day notification to ease the burden for processors and allow time for inspectors and staff to take precautions for social distancing. The Produce Safety Program (PSP) operates under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and will follow guidelines as set forth by FDA.
• Food inspectors are following CDC guidelines, including not traveling or working when feeling ill, washing hands regularly, maintaining person cleanliness, maintaining social distancing, not shaking hands and not touching their own faces. Inspection staff follow best food safety practices and any specific industry protocols when performing on-site inspections, which may range from using a hairnet to wearing gloves, booties or other protective gear, depending upon the environment. Inspectors are following all industry standards recommended by firms, including washing and sanitizing all field gear between farm visits, or wearing any protective gear a firm requires.
• For more information, please read the full description of measures CDFA inspectors are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining the safety of the food supply

Employee Health and Safety Resources for Food and Agriculture

General Employee Health and Safety Resource for Employers:

• The California Labor Workforce and Development Agency has provided resources for both Employers and Workers regarding how to deal with COVID-19.
• The California Department of Industrial Relations maintains an FAQ page regarding sick leave for people possibly affected by COVID-19.
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) resource page about Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Disinfectants for Use Against COVID-19.
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) listing of statewide local health services/offices, for the situations where the FDA recommends contacting your local health department.

Specific Resources for Regions or Associations

• Western Growers COVID-19 Resources Page, including What to Do if an Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
• Monterey County 2019 Novel Coronavirus resource page, including an Advisory for Agricultural Worker Protection during COVID-19 Crisis on the Central Coast of California
• National Milk Producers Federation Dairy Farm Handbook Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention and Management

Access to PPE and Sanitation Supplies

• CDC Strategies to Optimize the Supply of PPE and Equipment, intended for healthcare professionals but applicable to others.
• Please contact your county Office of Emergency Services (OES) branch to coordinate the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related items, including sanitation and janitorial supplies for your food production or processing business. We will update this page as additional guidance and resources become available.
• If there is an acute shortage and you are unable to obtain PPE and related items through your county OES branch, please contact CDFA and provide specific information on what items are running low, how much you have left, and what the impact will be to the food supply chain.

Resources for Food and Agriculture Employees

• California Labor and Workforce Development Agency resources for workers, interim guidance for protecting workers, and employer assistance.
• The UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety resources and FAQs regarding Farmworker safety.

Resources for Businesses

Economic Resources for Small Business Owners

• The California Employment Development Department is maintaining a resource page including resources for Employers.
  • This page includes information on accessing Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development has compiled helpful information for employers, employees and all Californians as it relates to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
• U.S. Small Business Association is providing information on low-interest federal disaster loans updated as the situation progresses.
• California State Treasurer is providing google docs listing federal, state, and local government programs for small businesses and tax relief.

Childcare

• Contact the resource and referral (R&R) statewide consumer education hotline at 1-800-KIDS-793 or go to the R&R website for child care referrals.

USDA Information on H2A

• USDA information and updates regarding H-2A visas for employees at the following site: https://www.farmers.gov/manage/h2a

Resources for Starting Direct Delivery

• Visit the CDFA Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) webpage or Farmer Resource Portal for information about registering to deliver produce directly to customers, or to view a list of producers registered as CSA Producers.

Food Donations

• Various programs are available to help businesses donate excess food and help feed children and families during the COVID-19 crisis.
• The California Association of Food Banks Farm to Family Program works with farmers, ranchers, packers and shippers to get California farm products from field to 40+ food banks throughout the state.
• The California Emergency Foodlink accepts large food donations to deliver to food banks across California.
• The California Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers Harvest for All Program offers various contacts.
• The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation Ag Against Hunger program gleans surplus fruit and vegetables to distribute them to food banks in the Tri County area of the Central Coast.
• Hidden Harvest is a produce recovery program in Coachella Valley.

CDFA Program Updates

Public Meetings: CDFA is working diligently to plan and implement measures for our employees while continuing to provide essential resources to the food and agriculture industries. Due to COVID-19, physically attending board and program meetings will be delayed or otherwise affected until further notice. CDFA staff will be available to call into board meetings and will be staying in constant communication with the industry. If you have a question about a specific public meeting, or are interested in requesting reasonable accommodation, please contact the relevant CDFA program.

Plant Pest and Animal Disease Detection and Response Activities

• This work is critical to the long-term continuity of the food supply. The cascading effect of not doing monitoring for and responding to pest/disease outbreaks would have severe repercussions for the supply chain. CDFA plans to continue all our pest exclusion, detection, rapid response, management, and diagnostic functions with appropriate social distancing and/or alternative measures such as personal protective equipment. We also plan to continue in our role of providing support to County Agricultural Commissioners' offices involved in these essential functions.

Animal Feed

• The CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program (CFRP) has shifted field activities to focus on end-product testing, when possible, in an effort to adhere to social distancing and minimize additional stress on firms. We will continue to respond to all animal health-related consumer complaints in order to meet those directives. This plan is in place through mid-April and will continue to evolve as information is received. Please do not hesitate to contact the field staff member in your area with any questions or concerns. We want to ensure that our feed and livestock industries are maintained in California. Additionally, please reach out to the field staff member in your area if you are anticipating a feed ingredient deficit so that the program can alert the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES) resources of the issue.
• Animal feed is considered critical infrastructure and companies will be able to continue to ship feed throughout the state, even in restricted areas. Ensuring no disruptions in the feed and livestock supply chain is a top priority for CDFA. Please notify CFRP immediately should you have any issues with the movement of feed products.
• CDFA inspection staff will follow all biosecurity procedures, including wearing masks, gloves and booties upon entering any feed manufacturing facility.

Grant Program Activities

• CDFA recognizes that due to COVID-19, grant requirements such as outreach events, field days, etc. will be delayed or otherwise affected. CDFA will work with grantees to the extent possible to adjust the Scope of Work and timelines. For example, some of our grant programs, such as our dairy digester grants, are allowing flexibility to satisfy community engagement/outreach obligations by hosting online events instead of physical events. Please reach out directly to your grant contact for more specific information.
• For the following grant programs, please email grants@cdfa.ca.gov or call (916) 657-3231
  • California Agriculture License Plate Grant Program
  • California State Trade Expansion Program
  • Spay and Neuter Grant Programs
  • Pet Lover's License Plate Grant Program
  • Animal Homeless Cruelty Fund
  • Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
  • Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
• For the following Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI) grant programs, please email cdfa.oefi@cdfa.ca.gov or call (916) 654-0433
  • Dairy Digester Research and Development Program
  • Healthy Soils Program
  • State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program
  • Alternative Manure Management Program
  • Technical Assistance grants
• For the Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant Programs, please email cafarmtofork@cdfa.ca.gov.

Licensing and Permit Activities

• CDFA recognizes that due to COVID-19, licensing and permits may not occur in a timely manner. Certain licenses and permits may be prioritized based on criticality to the food supply. As the prioritization and delays may vary, please reach out directly to program staff for more information on the impact to each particular program. Their contact information can be found on their respective web pages.

Fairs and Expositions

• Due to COVID-19, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommends against any gatherings. As such, many fairgrounds have canceled events. Please contact your local fairgrounds for an update on the status of your local event and the CDPH website for the most updated gathering guidance.
• As California fairgrounds continue to support and serve their local communities and provide essential resources during emergencies, F&E staff is ready and available to assist. F&E staff will be available to call into board meetings and will be staying in constant communication with the fair industry. Please do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions or emergencies. Our main line number is (916) 999-3000.

CDFA Office of Farm to Fork

• For questions regarding the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F), please email cafarmtofork@cdfa.ca.gov

Latest Updates / Press Releases from Key State and Federal Partners

• covid19.ca.gov
• California Department of Public Health
• Labor Workforce and Development Agency resources
• Governor's Office press releases
• State Treasurer press releases
• Information from the CDC
• USDA press releases
• County update and resource page

Information and resources for this COVID-19 emergency response are growing and evolving rapidly. We will continue to update this site as the situation progresses. Please address any questions to CDFA at OfficeOfPublicAffairs@cdfa.ca.gov.