Agriculture Producers

COVID-19 Testing for Farmers
 
White House Lists Ag as Essential Critical Infrastructure
 
US Department of Transportation Expands National Emergency Declaration for Commercial Vehicles Delivering Relief in Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak
 
Expanded Emergency Declaration Under 49 CFR § 390.23 No. 2020-002 (Relating to COVID-19)
 
Hauling and DMV Requirements

• Governor Ricketts has signed an Executive Order waiving certain hauling requirements. Click here to view a copy of the Executive Order (Coronavirus - Continued Waiver of Motor Carrier Safety Regulations).
• Notice to State Drivers Licensing Agencies of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Policy Regarding Effect of Actions during COVID-19 Emergency
• Latest Information on Driver Licensing Services from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles

USDA Resources

• Coronavirus and USDA Service Center Status
• USDA Announces Loan Maturity for Marketing Assistance Loans Now Extended to 12 Months
• USDA to Provide Additional Direct Assistance to Farmers and Ranchers Impacted by the Coronavirus: Expansion of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Begins Sept. 21
• Industry FAQs: Animal Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Industry Resources

• What to Do During a Distillers Grains Shortage
• Steps on the Farm to Manage COVID-19 from the National Corn Growers Association
• Guidance for Livestock Markets to Slow the Spread of the COVID-19 Virus
• Animal Health & Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• At a Glance: Safely distributing unused human food for use as animal food
• COVID-19 information from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
• Picking the Right Respirator Guide from AgriSafe Network
• Farm Work Respirator Guide
• Agriculture Workers and Employers - Interim Guidance from CDC and the U.S. Department of Labor

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Disaster Assistance Information

USDA Information and Resources

USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities preparing for and impacted by COVID-19. The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide will help our rural leaders understand what assistance is available to them during this unprecedented time.

As part of USDA's implementation of the CARES Act, agricultural producers now have more time to repay Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL). The loans now mature at 12 months, and this flexibility is available for most commodities. Details: https://go.usa.gov/xvDyv

With $349 billion in emergency small business capital, the federal government is working to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers may be eligible – learn more.

USDA is partnering with U.S. Department of Labor to assist H-2A employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details: http://ow.ly/X7ny50yQmXD

For reporting and current information on CARES Act programs, please visit: https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/Home
 
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources - U.S. Small Business Administration
 
Small Business Paycheck Protection Program
 
COVID-19 Client Letter - Nebraska Farm Business, Inc.
 
A Farmer, Rancher Guide to the CARES Act from the Nebraska Farm Bureau
 

Executive Orders and Waivers

Gov. Ricketts Issues Emergency Declaration for COVID-19 (View the declaration)
 
Executive Orders

• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order for Online Notary Services, Emphasizes Importance of Social Distancing in Stores
• Gov. Ricketts Signs Executive Order Giving Flexibility to Healthcare Facilities, Announces Safety Guidelines for Nursing Homes
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Bolster Healthcare Workforce
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order Allowing Takeout for Mixed Drinks with Lids
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Expand Childcare Access, Announces May 12th Election Will Proceed as Scheduled
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Provide Relief to Restaurants and Bars during COVID-19 Emergency
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Temporarily Ease Driver and Vehicle Requirements
• Gov. Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Loosen Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Requirements

US Department of Transportation Expands National Emergency Declaration for Commercial Vehicles Delivering Relief in Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak
 
Expanded Emergency Declaration Under 49 CFR § 390.23 No. 2020-002 (Relating to COVID-19)
 
Hauling and DMV Requirements

• Governor Ricketts has signed an Executive Order waiving certain hauling requirements. Click here to view a copy of the Executive Order (Coronavirus - Continued Waiver of Motor Carrier Safety Regulations).
• Notice to State Drivers Licensing Agencies of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Policy Regarding Effect of Actions during COVID-19 Emergency
• Latest Information on Driver Licensing Services from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles

Nebraska Department of Agriculture

• NDA Order on Retail Sales of Packaged Foods

Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

• Guidance for Dairies Unable to Ship Milk to Processors Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Farmers Markets

Guidance for Farmers Markets Operators to Slow the Spread of COVID-19 Virus
 
 

Fair and Livestock Show Event Guidance

Guidance for Livestock Shows and Events in Nebraska to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
 
 

Food Processing Industry

USDA APHIS Establishing Coordination Center to Assist Producers Affected by Meat Processing Plant Closures
 
UNMC/Nebraska Medicine experts develop guidelines for meat processing facilities regarding COVID-19
Infectious disease and public health experts at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Global Center for Health Security and College of Public Health have developed a set of guidelines for meat processing facilities that include strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while the facilities continue to operate. The guide is intended to provide best practices and recommendations for meat processing facilities to minimize the risk that COVID-19 poses to employees and the community.
 
Meat and Poultry Processing Workers and Employers

• Interim Guidance from CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
  • Free posters are available for download/printing for employers and employees. Posters are simple and available in multiple languages.
• Guidance for Large or Extended Families Living in the Same Household
• Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities: Key Strategies to Prevent COVID-19 Infection among Employees (alternate language links)
• Meat and Poultry Processing Employees: Things you can do at work and at home to protect from COVID-19 (alternate language links)
• Employers should place simple posters in all of the languages that are common in the worker population that encourage staying home when sick, cough and sneeze etiquette, and proper hand hygiene practices. They should place these posters at the entrance to the workplace and in break areas, locker rooms, and other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen. Employers should post signs that you can read from a far distance (or use portable, electronic reader boards) that inform visitors and workers of social distancing practices.
  • CDC has free, simple posters available to download and print, some of which are translated into different languages. The Stop the Spread of Germs poster is available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Kinyarwanda, Karen, Korean, Nepali, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

 

Human Health

Resources

• Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization
• Governor Pete Ricketts

Guidance Documents

• Staying Mentally Strong During The Coronavirus Outbreak from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
• EPA's list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2
• Animals and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

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Livestock Depopulation Guidance

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines for the depopulation of animals
 
USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program press release
 
Emergency Animal Mortality Management for Swine – Factsheet on USDA NRCS funding
 
USDA APHIS Establishing Coordination Center to Assist Producers Affected by Meat Processing Plant Closures

• APHIS Livestock Coordination Center

NDA Waiver for Transportation of Animal Carcasses
 
NDA Waiver for Above Ground Livestock Burials
 
Emergency Depopulation of Livestock Facilities During COVID-19
 
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) – Guidance documents for emergency disposal of animal carcasses associated with a non-disease related mass mortality event

 

Pesticide Applicators

Commercial/Non-Commercial Recertification and Initial Training session through PSEP is open for registration at pested.unl.edu.

Reservations to take applicator exams ONLY (no training provided) can be made through PSEP here.

A number of Pearson VUE testing sites have reopened for testing services. A list of locations in Nebraska can be found here, appointments are then scheduled through Pearson VUE.

Private Applicator in-person training will once again be hosted at local county extension, please contact your local extension for testing dates and to register. Training is still being offered online at pested.unl.edu or you may opt out of training by passing the PRIVATE APPLICATOR EXAM available at an in-person testing session.    

Restaurants, Bars & Food Safety

Guidance Documents

• Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for Industry Members and Consumers from FDA - Q&A
• Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) FAQs from USDA
• EPA's list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2
• Restaurant Guidance and DHM Information in Response to COVID-19 from the Nebraska Restaurant Association

Retail Sales of Packaged Foods

• Temporary Policy Regarding Nutrition Labeling of Certain Packaged Food During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
• NDA Order on Retail Sales of Packaged Foods

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Information

• Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
• Q&A for Consumers: Hand Sanitizers and COVID-19
• COVID-19 Update: FDA Warns Consumers About Hand Sanitizer Packaged in Food and Drink Containers
• FDA updates on hand sanitizers consumers should not use

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance

• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility
• Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
• How to Protect Yourself
• FAQs about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• What Grocery and Food Retail Workers Need to Know about COVID-19
• Implementing Safety Practices for Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
• Considerations for Restaurants and Bars
• Food and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Guidance

• Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Guidance

• Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• What You Need to Know: Food and COVID-19 (FDA Video)
• Summary of Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-Up/Delivery Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic (FDA)
• Food Safety and Availability During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• FDA To Temporarily Conduct Remote Importer Inspections Under FSVP Due to COVID-19
• Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Information for Consumers
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA updates on surveillance inspections during COVID-19

Unemployment benefits and information on short-term compensation programs for employees and businesses affected by COVID-19 from the Nebraska Department of Labor: http://bit.ly/33oKIeu

Information Lines

DHHS (statewide)
402-552-6645
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, seven days a week

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Information Line
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
TTY 888-232-6348
Hours: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT (English and Spanish), Monday–Friday

Websites with COVID-19 information

• DHHS
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• World Health Organization

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Small Businesses

Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry - Coronavirus Toolkit for Chambers, Business & Industry
 
U.S. Small Business Administration Fact Sheet - Economic Injury Disaster Loans (English)

• Hoja de Datos de la Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa (Spanish)

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Nebraska Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (English)

• SBA Ofrece Asistencia de Desastres a los Pequeños Negocios de Nebraska Impactados Económicamente por Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Spanish)

CDC guidance for workers in critical Infrastructure
 
For reporting and current information on CARES Act programs, please visit: https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/Home