Template Letter for Agricultural Businesses and Employees Operating Under Governor DeWine’s Stay at Home Order

Edit this letter as appropriate to include letterhead, contact information, and a more specific description of your company and function. We recommend employees be provided with a copy of the letter to carry with them.

Download an editable Microsoft Word version here.

[Date]
[Company Letterhead]

To Whom It May Concern:

[Company] is engaged in agricultural and/or food production, or supports the food and agricultural supply chain. The bearer of this letter is employed by [Company].

On March 22, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a “Stay at Home” order that, while restricting the operation of many businesses, allows those employed in critical infrastructure sectors to continue operations. This includes employees of food and agriculture sector businesses as identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in its March 19, 2020 memo entitled Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response.

Included in that memo are the following food and agricultural sector functions:

  • Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food processing (packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging
  • Farm workers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically
  • Farm workers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
  • Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers
  • Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail
  • Company cafeterias—in-plant cafeterias used to feed employees
  • Workers in food testing labs in private industries and in institutions of higher education
  • Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments
  • Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
  • Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; raising of animals for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and associated regulatory and government workforce
  • Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products
  • Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution

My business is directly engaged in one or more of the food and agricultural production categories listed above. If you have any questions, I ask that you contact our office.

Sincerely,
[Name]
[Company]
[Address]
[Phone]

OEFFA

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
NEW ADDRESS
150 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Suite 230
Worthington, OH 43085

oeffaoeffaorg

OEFFA:(614) 421-2022 (614) 421-2022
OEFFA Certification:(614) 262-2022 (614) 262-2022
Fax:(614) 421-2011 (614) 421-2011

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