Agribusiness General Information | All Guidance Documents | Aquaculture | Business Services | COVID-19 General Information | Dairy | Equine, Poultry & Livestock | Farmers' Markets & Farm Stands/Stores | Food Safety and Produce | Food Industry | Labor & Employer Resources | Pets and Service Animals
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is following guidance issued by the Governor's office, White House and other federal partners and we are actively speaking with producers and various agricultural organizations across the state in order to minimize the negative impact on growers and address your concerns and issues. Please continue to communicate your questions and concerns to us. We will do our best to respond and share as much information as we can during this time. COVID-19 related issues should be emailed directly to AGR.COVID19@ct.gov.
In addition, the agency has developed, implemented and maintained an Emergency Management Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) which complies with all applicable internal agency policies and state regulations. Staff has been briefed and is ready to follow procedures to ensure functions critical to the agency and industry needs are met and carried out in the interest of public safety and public health. Critical functions include investigating animal welfare complaints; caring for rescue animals under the agency’s care, custody and control; sampling of water, meat, and milk; and licensing related to dairy, livestock, poultry, domestic pet-related operations, agricultural commodities, and seafood.
Below we have compiled information from various sources for your reference to help support your business and to protect yourself, employees, and consumers.
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including guidance and other resources, visit ct.gov/coronavirus. General questions can also be answered by calling 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is only intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider to seek treatment.
Per Executive Order 7H, 'essential business', as it relates to food and agriculture, includes:
- farms and farmer’s markets
- food manufacturing, processing, storage, and distribution facilities
- nurseries, garden centers, and agriculture supply stores
- restaurants/bars (provided compliance with all applicable executive orders is maintained)
AGRIBUSINESS GENERAL INFORMATION
Guidance for Farm Stores/Stands and CSAs (Updated September 17, 2020)
AgCareers.com - Offering free temporary and seasonal job postings during the pandemic.
Unemployment Insurance Benefits for Farmers/Ranchers (Webinar recording)
Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Guidance (as of April 8, 2020) (English)
Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Guidance (Spanish)
Farmers' Market and Farm Stands Currently Open Sign Up Sheet (to be added to CTGrownMap.com)
What Ag Producers Need to Know About COVID-19 (recorded 3/23/2020) Agrisafe Network
USDA FSA and NRCS Service Center Information
CT Farms and On-Farm Deliveries Considerations for COVID-19
Farm to Institution New England food and labor matchmaking spreadsheet for farmers to add to
Direct to Consumer Sales Software Platforms from the National Young Farmers Coalition (New 4/23/2020)
Healthy Workplace Posters: English and Spanish
-- Don't Spread Germs (English)
-- Don't Spread Germs (Spanish)
-- Stop the Spread (English)
-- Stop the Spread (Spanish)
-- Keeping Your Workplace Safe
-- Additional Resources and Posters from the CDC
ALL GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY DOAG
Animal Shelters: Guidance for Animal Shelters holding Adoption Events
Aquaculture: Direct Marketing Guidance for Shellfish Producers
Community Garden and Urban Ag, English: Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Guidance
Community Garden & Urban Ag, Spanish: Community Garden and Urban Agriculture Guidance
Equine: Equine Guidance Phase TWO Updated (August 14, 2020)
Equestrian Competition: Equestrian Competition Guidance (Updated August 14, 2020)
Farmers' Markets: Farmers' Market and On-Farm Market Guidance for COVID-19 Updated September 17, 2020)
Farm Store/Stand & CSA: Guidance for Farm Stores/Stands and CSAs Updated September 17, 2020
Food Safety: Food Safety Guidance During COVID-19 Updated August 14, 2020
Pick-Your-Own/Cut-Your-Own: Guidance for PYO/CYO Farms During COVID-19 Updated October 01, 2020
Poultry: Backyard Flock Guidance
Poultry: Biosecurity Guidance for Poultry
Municipal ACO: Municipal Animal Control Officer Guidance
AQUACULTURE
Direct Marketing Guidance for Shellfish Producers
Facebook Small Business Grants
Extension to Connecticut Filing Deadline for Certain Annual State Business Tax Returns
SBA Disaster Relief Loan Fact Sheets in English and Spanish (for aquaculture, nursery, agricultural cooperatives, and producer cooperatives)
COVID-19 RESOURCES: GENERAL INFORMATION
FDA’s COVID-19 website; FDA Statement: FDA steps to ensure quality of foreign products
State Department Travel Advisories
COVID-19 Guidance from the National Milk Producers Federation
COVID Fact Sheet for Dairy Herds (Available in English and Spanish)
EQUINE, POULTRY, AND LIVESTOCK
AVMA Disaster Preparedness for Livestock & Large Animals
Biosecurity Guidance for Poultry
COVID-19 Consideration for Animal Activities at Fairs, Shows, and Other Events- From the CDC
DOAG Equestrian Competition Guidance Updated August 14, 2020
DOAG Equine Guidance- Phase Two Updated August 14, 2020
Equine Resources during COVID-19
FARMERS' MARKET AND FARM STANDS/STORES
Farmers' Market and On-Farm Market Guidance for COVID-19 Updated September 17, 2020
COVID-19 Related Farmers' Market Signage
-Shopper Crowd Control 8.5 x 11
-Shopper Crowd Control 18 x 24
COVID-19 Related Agritourism Signage
Physical Reconfiguration of Farmers' Market, Farmers' Market Coalition Webinar
COVID-19 Resources for the Food Industry (The Acheson Group)
Coronavirus Resources (Food Marketing Institute)
Preparedness Checklist; Coronavirus and Pandemic Preparedness for the Food Industry (includes recommendations for supporting consumers, associates, human resources, retail stores, distribution centers/transportation, product suppliers, and interacting with the media).
COVID-19 Farmworker Testing FAQ
Essential Food and Agriculture Work Permit SAMPLE (English and Spanish) from the National Milk Producers Association
Employer Action Steps: Your farm workforce is not immune to COVID-19, please begin taking steps to protect yourself and your employees.
- Talk with your employees about COVID-19, how it spreads, and how to prevent getting infected.
- Print the CDC factsheets and posters, post in your workplace and employee housing facilities.
- Provide guidance to help employees clean and disinfect employer-provided housing. Follow up with employees and manage the process to be sure that this happens. Set up a regular weekly and daily schedule for cleaning and view the CDC guidance for cleaning homes: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/cleaning-disinfection.html
- Clean and disinfect your workplace. Clean and disinfect any areas where employees congregate or routinely touch items such as doorknobs and computer keyboards. Set up daily and weekly cleaning schedules.
- Provide cleaning supplies such as cleaning solutions, buckets, mops, brushes, etc for cleaning at work and for those living in employer-provided housing. (CDC list of approved antimicrobial cleaning products: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-03/documents/sars-cov-2-list_03-03-2020.pdf)
- Review your sick leave policy. The first advice for people who are sick is to stay home except to get medical care. Do you provide paid sick leave for your employees? If you do not, will employees feel financially obligated to come to work even if they are sick?
- Communicate with employees that they should stay home if they are sick. Employees sometimes come to work believing they will face punishment or firing if they miss work. Be sure your employees understand that their health and that of their co-workers’ comes first. Communicate and make a plan to cover for sick employees. CDC provides posters in English and Spanish covering symptoms of novel coronavirus.
- Prepare your disaster contingency plan. What will you do if 50% of your employees become sick and unable to work? Are there neighboring farms who might be able to share resources in an emergency? Who will manage for a few weeks if you or another key manager are unable to leave your house or are hospitalized?
- Cornell provides the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) to provide community education resources across the entire disaster cycle of preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Penn State also provides farm disaster preparedness resources.
Municipal Animal Control Officer Guidance
Guidance for Animal Shelters holding Adoption Events
If You Have Pets - from the CDC
Helpful Questions and Answers About Covid-19 and Your Pets - From the FDA
What to Do if Your Pet Tests Positive for the Virus that Causes COVID-19
COVID-19 in Pets - Information from the American Veterinary Medical Association
Pets and Other Animals- From the CDC
State Public Health Veterinarians and Animal Health Officials- From the CDC
CDC Guidance for People who Isolate in Home and Have Pets
USDA's Animal Care Emergency Programs
COVID-19 Recommendations for Pet Stores, Pet Distributors, and Pet Breeding Facilities- from the CDC
For veterinary clinics: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Veterinary Clinics Treating Companion Animals During the COVID-19 Response
Guidance for Handlers of Service and Therapy Animals- From the CDC
COVID-19 Considerations for Animal Activities at Fairs, Shows, and Other Events- from the CDC