Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring is providing letters to critical and essential agriculture businesses for verification purposes in response to requests for being identified as such.
“With more requests coming in from agribusiness and ag sectors asking for proof of being a critical and essential business, we are making letters available to those who request it for use when traveling,” Goehring said. “We have heard of some issues from those traveling in adjacent states that were stopped and asked what their business was. We want to ensure that those who provide products or services to agriculture are not being disrupted. Employees in these industries may carry this letter in the event they are stopped and asked.”
Essential agribusinesses for a safe and accessible food supply include:
- Farms, ranches and dairies;
- Greenhouses and vegetable plants;
- Orchards;
- Pest management services;
- Fertilizer manufacturers and distributors;
- Feed mills and ag supply businesses;
- Agriculture equipment sales and services;
- Animal feed and supply distribution networks;
- Apiary industry;
- Transportation systems from farm to retail;
- Food and meat processors and manufacturers;
- Veterinary services and supplies;
- Distribution and transportation systems from processors and manufacturers to retailers, elevators and ag auction markets;
- Animal feed processors and sellers;
- Gas station cooperatives;
- Retailers to include grocery stores and farmers markets;
- Grocery delivery services;
- Laboratories; and
- Inspection Services that ensure food safety.
This list, along with the list of essential members of the food and agriculture workforce released by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are vital to the continuous availability of a safe and reliable food supply.
The full list from CISA may be found at https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce.
To request a letter authenticating a business as critical and essential, call the North Dakota Department of Agriculture at 701-328-2231 or visit www.nd.gov/ndda/criticalessentialrequest.