COVID-19 Information

To keep agricultural producers, businesses and service providers as up-to-date as possible on our response during the COVID-19 pandemic, WSDA will maintain the most recent information and guidance available on this page. Visit frequently as information will be updated.

Agricultural and food production was identified as an essential and critical infrastructure even as Washington’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” proclamation limited other business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Counties around the state have now begun to open up in phases, with each phase allowing more activities to resume.
Learn which phase your county is in here:

• County status 

If you have questions about operating a business or you are a worker with general questions, visit the Business and Worker Inquiries page of the state Coronavirus Response website for more information.

Social distancing requirements 
All businesses, including essential businesses like those in the agriculture industry, must comply with public health guidelines set out in the state’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy proclamation. The requirements for agriculture operations can be found online at the state Department of Labor & Industries website and in these L&I fact sheets:

• Coronavirus prevention in agriculture and related industries
• Food processing-warehouse coronavirus fact sheet

L&I has also adopted emergency rules regulating farmworker housing. The Temporary Worker Housing Emergency Rule is in effect until Sept. 10, 2020. 

A note on floriculture
In response to confusion in the floriculture sector of our agricultural industry, the Governor’s Office and WSDA reviewed the matter and confirm that floriculture falls within the agricultural sector as identified in the Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” proclamation. 

• Agricultural products may be grown, harvested, and sold under Proclamation 20-25.
• Direct marketing farmers may sell their products.
• Florists are allowed to operate retail storefronts but must follow the rules for their county, based upon their county’s reopening phase. 

To support efforts intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our staff and the public, WSDA is making adjustments in some areas of work.
 
WSDA offices closed to the public
All WSDA offices are closed to the public as of Wednesday, March 25, including the agency’s administrative offices in the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. Despite these closures, the agency remains operational. Should you require assistance, please call our main line at 360-902-1800 or find numbers for specific programs in our Contact Us webpage.

• Learn more in our news release: WSDA closes offices to the public, but remains fully operational 

COVID-19 related actions
WSDA has taken several additional measures in response to the pandemic. These actions include:

• Delayed enforcement of the volatility standards requiring fuel distributors to switch from winter to summer fuel. The Policy Statement on Gasoline Volatility Requirements Enforcement has more details on this decision. 
• Adjusting pesticide testing to provide more room for social distancing with smaller groups of test takers. Read the Limited Testing Options memo for more information. 
• Suspending some routine activities within the Food Safety & Consumer Services Division to limit staff travel, though essential work continues, including investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks or cases of adulterated food, as well as technical assistance and outreach, and ensuring interstate sales of Grade ‘A’ milk products continue. 
• Mandating teleworking for agency employees, where possible. Numerous WSDA staff members are currently working from home until further notice.

WSDA is preparing guidance for our staff, customers, and the public that address concerns specific to our operations. Here are currently available fact sheets and other resources.  

Information about COVID-19 is available in several languages. Here are some key materials available in Spanish. 

• COVID-19 y la producción de alimentos en el estado de Washington 
• COVID-19 Información del programa de seguridad de los productos agricólas del WSDA
• COVID-19 y mejores prácticas de alimentos y piensos para animales 
• COVID-19 y depósitos para almacenamiento de alimentos en el estado de Washington

Other resources on COVID-19 

• Información sobre el coronavirus - Information for employers and employees from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, including posters and educational material. 
• El nuevo virus corona - General health information about COVID-19 from the Washington State Department of Health  
• CDC posters and fact sheets - available in several languages. 

• Coronavirus.wa.gov – This official Washington State website for the coronavirus response includes information and resources from several state agencies. 
• Doh.wa.gov/coronavirus – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) website with the latest public health information and current recommendations.
• CDC.gov/coronavirus – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coronavirus webpage.
• doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/CoronavirusSpanish - DOH information in Spanish
• DOH coronavirus information in other languages available here: Information on COVID-19
• Additional Spanish language resources, including posters on cleaning, disinfecting, and covering coughs are available at the Benton-Franklin Health District website.    

If you wish to share any of the PDF documents, we recommend sharing the link to this webpage rather than downloading documents as PDFs, as the content may change during this evolving situation.