Update April 20, 2020:
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a DHS agency, released version 3.0 of the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers guidance to help state and local jurisdictions and the private sector identify and manage their essential workforce while responding to COVID-19. Version 3.0 provides clarity around a range of positions needed to support the critical infrastructure functions laid out in the original guidance and Version 2.0. This iteration includes a reorganization of the Healthcare and Public Health section providing more detail to clarify essential workers; emphasis for Emergency Medical Services workers; and adds lawyers and legal aid workers. Also included is language focused on sustained access and freedom of movement (a reference to the CDC guidance on safety for critical infrastructure workers) and a statement saying sick employees should avoid the workplace and the workforce. In worker categories, all references to “employees” or “contractors” have been changed to “workers.”
Use this link to find Critical Infrastructure Workers 3.0.
Background:
On March 28, 2020, the US Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued additional guidance about how to identify essential critical infrastructure during the COVID-19 response.
CISA has developed, in collaboration with other federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector, an “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce” advisory list. This list is intended to help state, local, tribal and territorial officials as they work to protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security. Decisions informed by this list should also take into consideration additional public health considerations based on the specific COVID-19-related concerns of particular jurisdictions.
This list is advisory in nature. It is not, nor should it be considered, a federal directive or standard. Additionally, this advisory list is not intended to be the exclusive list of critical infrastructure sectors, workers, and functions that should continue during the COVID-19 response across all jurisdictions. Individual jurisdictions should add or subtract essential workforce categories based on their own requirements and discretion.
The following list of identified essential critical infrastructure workers is an excerpt from the CISA guidance specific to food and agriculture and is intended to be overly inclusive reflecting the diversity of industries across the United States. More information from CISA can be found in this link Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE:
- Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies, convenience stores, and other retail (including unattended and vending) that sells human food, animal/pet food and pet supply, and beverage products, including retail customer support service and information technology support staff necessary for online orders, pickup and delivery.
- Restaurant carry-out and quick serve food operations, including dark kitchen and food prep centers, and carry- out and delivery food employees.
- Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food ingredient production and processing 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.
- Farmers, farm workers, and agribusiness support services to include those employed in auction and sales: grain and oilseed handling, processing and distribution; 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 and for export.
- Farmers, farm workers, support service workers, and their supplier employees to include those engaged in producing and harvesting field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; biodiesel and renewable diesel facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs.
- Employees and firms supporting the distribution of food, feed, and beverage and ingredients used in these products, including warehouse workers, vendor- managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers.
- Workers supporting the sanitation and pest control of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail.
- Employees in cafeterias used to feed employees, particularly employee populations sheltered against COVID-19.
- Workers in animal diagnostic and food testing laboratories in private industries and in institutions of higher education.
- Government, private, and non-governmental organizations’ workers essential for food assistance programs (including school lunch programs) and government payments.
- Employees of companies engaged in the production, storage, transport, and distribution of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including seeds, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids.
- Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health (including those involved in supporting emergency veterinary or livestock services); raising of animals for food; animal production operations; livestock markets; slaughter and packing plants, manufacturers, renderers, and associated regulatory and government workforce.
- Transportation supporting animal agricultural industries, including movement of animal medical and reproductive supplies and materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, live animals, animal by-products, and deceased animals for disposal.
- Workers who support sawmills and the manufacture and distribution of fiber and forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood and fiber products.
- Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary for agricultural production and distribution.