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Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting Guidebook (COVID-19)

Information for supporting agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting businesses in Cattaraugus County during the reopening phases and beyond.

Reopen: When, How, and the Unknown

Most types of agriculture businesses were recommended to continue while others were not. Some agriculture businesses may have temporarily closed due to the recommended restrictions due to COVID-19. All businesses are to complete their business safety plan.

Essential Businesses

Essential businesses must also complete a business safety plan to continue to operate, and will need to affirm their industry-specific guidelines. Get the NYS Business Safety Plan Template

Non-Essential Businesses

Who: Some of the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting businesses were closed.

When to Reopen: Most were allowed to continue operations. Phase One Opening: May 19, 2020

How to Reopen: Create/update a written plan based upon the recommendations below.

Handling the Unknown: Implement a plan to be adaptable around a pandemic

NYS Reopening Phases

NYS Phase One for Agriculture includes the following types of agricultural businesses.

  • Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production
  • Other Animal Production
  • Other Crop Production
  • Support Activities for Animal Production
  • Support Activities for Crop Production
  • Support Activities for Forestry

1 - NY Forward Guidelines for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting

Start by reading the NYS Phase One Guidelines for Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting and complete the online form. It is important that each business confirms that they've read their sector guidelines and created their safety plans.

2 - Cleaning & Safety

What changes will you be implementing?

Complete your Business Safety Plan using the Business Safety Plan Template.

Note: You are to have a business safety plan on file for inspection.

3 - Communication

Help your business be more effective by communicating plans to staff and the changes that have already occurred to the public.

Have a starting plan for what is changing in your business then spread the word on the changes internally to staff. Have another plan on how you will communicate that to your customers and subcontractors. This may be through signs and printed documents for staff.

Communicate Changes

Prior to making a change be sure to think it through as to how you will be communicating to your staff and your customers the change.

How are you planning to adapt?

Things to Discuss with Us

Let's work on possible solutions.

Availability of Food

the U.S agricultural market will remain well supplied and food will continue to be affordable

New Markets / Diversification

COVID-19 diversification strategies – how to diversify in a crisis

Supply Chain Resiliency

Food Supply Chain - William Masters, an agricultural economist at Tufts, says the best way to make the food supply chain resilient to a pandemic is to make the economy as a whole more resilient. That, in part, involves reopening food businesses carefully and safely.

... companies will need to strategize for building a more durable and flexible supply chain. These unprecedented times are sure to spark more innovation and technological growth to address the challenges industry is facing

Cattaraugus County Agriculture

If you have an agriculture business in Cattaraugus County then please be sure to get listed on the AgCatt.com website.