Food Safety and COVID-19 Resources from Farm to Fork

• SARS-CoV-2 Virus Transmission (8.4.20)

• Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue? (3.17.20)

Planning a Mass Feeding Event

• Planning a Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)
• Preparing and Packing for a Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)
• Delivering for Mass Food Distribution (8.4.20)
• Mass Food Distribution Checklist (8.4.20)
• Mass Food Distribution Checklist (Black and white printable version, 8.4.20)

• Hand Hygiene (4.16.20)

• Homemade Hand Sanitizer (3.30.20) 

• Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation

• Facemasks and Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)
• Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)
• Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)
• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)
• How to Use Cloth Face Coverings (half sheet designed to be given with cloth face coverings, can be printed color or greyscale, 4.24.20)

• What is the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting & sterilizing? (4.17.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)
• Video: Cleaning and disinfecting
• Disinfectants, UV Light and Heat for Virus Inactivation (4.24.20)
• Bleach as a Disinfectant (5.14.20)
• Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting (5.14.20) 
• How to Clean and Disinfect a Home (5.14.20)
• How to Clean and Disinfect Hard Surfaces (5.14.20)
• How to Clean and Disinfect Soft Surfaces (5.14.20)
• How to Clean and Disinfect Electronics (5.14.20)
• How to Clean and Disinfect Laundry (5.14.20)
• Clean Up After an Individual (5.14.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Top Tips (5.14.20)

As the State of Maryland continues its unprecedented response to COVID-19, the Maryland Department of Agriculture is emphasizing the need for businesses involved in the state’s food supply chain to continue production. For more information visit: Maryland Dept. of Agriculture

June 2020-MDA Agricultural Site COVID-19 Guidance

May 2020- FDA: Temporary Policy During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Regarding the Qualified Exemption from the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption

• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)
• Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings (4.09.20)

Farming and Direct to Consumer Sales

• Preventing the Spread (5.14.20)
• Guidance for Farm Stands (4.16.20)
• Guidance for Produce Farms and Packinghouses (4.16.20)
• Guidance for Agribusiness (4.16.20)

Farmers Markets

• MDA-Maryland Farmers Markets Operations During COVID-19 State of Emergency FAQs (4.16.20)
• MDA-**COVID-19 Update (3/19/20)** Farmers Markets Should Continue Operations During State of Emergency (more info)
• Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets (4.16.20)
• Social Distancing at the Farmers’ Market (4.06.20)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers markets across the country face questions about creating and enforcing mask policies. Market operators have a duty to protect the health and safety of vendors and customers, while also respecting the rights of individuals who are not able to wear a mask due to disability. 

 A new factsheet, available here, outlines how markets can create a mask policy in the context of state and local mask mandates, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

 The factsheet is part of our Farmers Market Legal Toolkit website, an open-access legal resource that helps markets become more resilient and accessible.  

Pick Your Own (PYO) or U-Pick operations

• MDA-Maryland Pick-Your-Own Operations During COVID-19 State of Emergency (4.22.20)
• Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms (4.16.20)

Gardening and Produce

• Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens (5.16.20)
• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce? (4.16.20)
• Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production? (4.16.20)
• Washing Produce (4.06.20)
• Could Eating Fresh Produce Cause COVID-19? (4.06.20)
• Fresh Produce Top Tips (4.06.20)

Bulk Meat Sales

• Food Safety & Bulk Poultry Sales (4.17.20)
• Food Safety & Bulk Beef Sales (4.17.20)
• Food Safety & Bulk Pork Sales (4.17.20)

Follow our Grower Newsletter

• UMD-Food Safety Group

Online Resources: Farm

• Considerations for Produce Growers Related to COVID-19

• UMD-Dept. of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture

• Follow the Division of Extension - University of Wisconsin-Madison Blog

 Dining Out 

• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? (3.23.20)
• Foodservice: General FAQs and Employee Health (4.16.20)
• Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? (3.23.20)

Grocery Shopping

• Grocery Stores: General FAQs and Employee Health (4.16.20)
• Grocery Store Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)
• Shopping and Handling Groceries (3.28.20)

• Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store? (4.16.20)
• Shopping and Handling Groceries (4.16.20)
• Could Eating Fresh Produce Cause COVID-19? (4.06.20)
• Fresh Produce Top Tips (4.06.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)
• Grocery Shopping – Top Tips (3.31.20)
• Grocery Shopping – Minimizing Risk (3.31.20)
• Grocery Shopping – Handling Groceries (3.31.20)
• Grocery Shopping – Delivery (4.01.20)
• Washing Produce (4.06.20)

Retail Food Environments

5/27/2020-FDA: Voluntary Reporting of Temporary Closures or Requesting Assistance for FDA-Regulated Food Establishments During COVID-19 Pandemic 

5/22/2020- FDA: FDA Announces Temporary Flexibility Policy Regarding Certain Labeling Requirements for Foods for Humans During COVID-19 Pandemic

• FDA Food supply chain information -For Industry (3.20.20)
• Businesses are encouraged to visit businessexpress.maryland.gov for more information. This portal is updated multiple times each day and is the best source for any questions related to business operations. Any other questions can be sent to secretary.commerce@maryland.gov.

• Hand Hygiene (4.16.20)
• Cleaning, sanitizing, & disinfecting (4.17.20)
• Homemade Hand Sanitizer – Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation (3.16.20)
• Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community (3.16.20)
• What to Do if You are Sick (4.02.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.20.20)
• Coronavirus Defense (3.20.20) 
• Disinfectants, UV Light and Heat for Virus Inactivation (4.24.20) 
• Basic Food Safety (5.14.20)
• Delivering Food to Others (5.14.20)
• Receiving Food from Others (5.14.20)
• Sharing Food with Others (5.14.20)

 Infosheets: Consumer

• Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community (3.16.20)
• What to Do if You are Sick (4.04.20)
• Coronavirus Defense (3.20.20)

 Infosheets: Food Bank

• Best Practices and Communication (4.16.20)
• Receiving Food and Cleaning (3.16.20)
• Open Letter to Food Donation and Recovery Networks (3.17.20)

Infosheets: Foodservice

• General FAQs and Employee Health (3.16.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)
• Receiving and Food Packaging (3.18.20)

• Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue? (3.17.20)
• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees (4.09.20)
• FDA: Best Practices for Re-Opening Retail Food Establishments-checklist (5.2020)

Infosheets: Grocery Store

• General FAQs and Employee Health (3.16.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfection (3.16.20)
• Receiving and Food Packaging (3.18.20)
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags (3.26.20)

Retail Signs-Downloaded and filled with business specific information

• Please Don't Shop While Sick (3.30.20) Red, Blue, Green, and Gray 
• TAG Acheson Group-COVID-19 resources for the food industry (multiple languages)

Transmission: Spanish

• La transmisión del Coronavirus 2 del Síndrome Respiratorio Agudo Severo siglas en inglés: SARS-CoV-2  (8.4.20)

 Infosheets: Spanish

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 5.14.20) 
• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer, 3.31.20)
• Como Preparease Contra un Brote en su Comunidad (Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community, 3.18.20)
• ¿Que Hacer si Esta a Enfermo? (What to Do if You are Sick, 3.18.20)
• Limpiando y Disinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.18.20)

Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Salir a Cenar y Hacer Compras

• ¿Es el Coronavirus un Problema de Seguridad en los Alimentos? (Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue?, 4.01.20)
• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus y la Comida Para Llevar? (Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout?, 3.26.20)
• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus Cuando Voy al Supermercado? (is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store?, 5.14.20)
• Lavando y Desinfectando Bolsas Reutilizables (Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags, 4.09.20)

 Social Media Images: Spanish

• Lavese Las Manos Frecuentemente (Clean Your Hands Often, 5.14.20)
• Desinfectante de Manos Hecho en Casa (Homemade Hand Sanitizer 3.31.20)
• Como Preparease Contra un Brote en su Comunidad (Preparing for an Outbreak in Your Community, 3.18.20)
• ¿Que Hacer si Esta a Enfermo? (What to Do if You are Sick, 3.18.20)
• Limpiando y Disinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.18.20)

Hojas Informativas del Servicio de Alimentos

• Preguntas Generales y Salud de Los Empleados (General FAQs and Employee Health, 5.14.20)
• Limpiando y Deinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.31.20)
• Recepcion de Alimentos y Sus Empaques (Receiving and Food Packaging, 3.31.20)
• ¿Es el Coronavirus un Problema de Seguridad en los Alimentos? (Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue?, 4.01.20)

Hojas Informativas de la Tienda de Comestibles

• Preguntas Generales y Salud de Los Empleados (General FAQs and Employee Health, 5.14.20)
• Limpiando y Desinfectando (Cleaning and Disinfection, 3.31.20)
• Recepcion de Alimentos y Sus Empaques (Receiving and Food Packaging, 3.31.20)

Hojas Informativas del Banco de Alimentos

• Mejores Practicas y Comunicacion (Best Practices and Communication, 5.14.20)
• Recepcion de Alimentos y Limpieza (Receiving Food and Cleaning, 3.31.20)

Cultivar, Jardines y Producir Hojas Informativas Agricultura y Venta Directa al Consumidor

• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes Para Mercados Locales Agricolas (Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets, 5.14.20)
• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes en Granjas de Recoleccion Directa de Producto (Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms, 5.14.20)

Jarineria y Productos

• COVID-19: Preguntas Frecuentes Para Huertas Comunitarias (Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens, (5.14.20)
• ¿Me Debo Preocupar Coronavirus en las Frutas y Verduas? (Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce?, 5.14.20)
• ¿Puede ser el Coronavirus un Problema en la Produccion de Frutas o Verduas? (Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production?, 5.14.20)

 Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Salir a Cenar y Hacer Compras

• ¿Es el Coronavirus un Problema de Seguridad en los Alimentos? (Is COVID-19 a Food Safety Issue?, 3.31.20)
• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus y la Comida Para Llevar? (Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout? 3.26.20)
• ¿Me Debo Preocupar del Coronavirus Cuando Yoy al Supermercado? (Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store? 4.02.20)
• Lavando y Desinfectando Bolsas Reutilizables (Cleaning and Disinfecting Reusable Bags, 4.09.20)

Revestimientos Faciales de Tela

• Haciendo Tapabocas de Tela (Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings, 4.24.20)
• Pañuelos para Protegerse la Cara (Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings, 4.24.20)

 

 Foodservice Infosheets – Haitian Creole

• MAS AN TWAL POU ANPLWAYE KI NAN SEKTÈ ALIMANTÈ (Cloth Face Coverings with Food Employees, 4.21.2020)  

Farms, Gardens and Produce Infosheets – Haitian Creole

• PI BON PRATIK POU AGRIBIZNIS (Guidance on Agribusiness, 4.21.2020)

Infosheet: Chinese

• Simplified Chinese version
• Traditional Chinese version

General

• 冠状病毒是⻝品安全问题吗 (Is Coronavirus a Food Safety Issue?, 5.14.20)
• ⾃⼰动⼿做布⼝罩 (Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings, 5.14.20)
• 冠状病毒会在超市会成为担⼼吗？(Is Coronavirus a Concern at the Grocery Store?, 5.14.20)
• 处理⽣鲜⻝物时，是否应该担⼼冠状病毒？(Is Coronavirus a Concern with Fresh Produce?, 5.14.20)
• 冠状病毒是否会为外带⻝品造成问题？(Is Coronavirus a Concern with Takeout?, 5.14.20)
• ⽣病了该怎么办 (What to Do If Sick,5.14.20)

• University of Maryland Extension
• University of Maryland, College Park 
• NC State Extension (References-COVID-19 Food Safety Resources)
• Purdue University
• Louisiana State University
• Division of Extension - University of Wisconsin-Madison