The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is continuing inspection services during Governor Walz’ two-week Stay-at-Home Executive Order and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes inspections of dairy, meat, and food manufacturing facilities, retail food outlets, pesticide and fertilizer operations, and seed, grain, and nursery companies.
The MDA Insepcetcion Staff will exercise general hygiene and social distancing recommendations of the Minnesota Department of Health and will continue to conduct field activities in a safe manner for both themselves and the industries in which they regulate.
There has been some minor modification made during this time which includes:
Food and Feed Inspection
Retail Food Inspectors continue field services at operations including grocery stores and other retail food stores although some inspection activities may be abbreviated. Outreach by phone and email will be increased to efficiently meet information needs about food safety and COVID-19.
The Manufactured Food Inspection Program and the Commercial Feed Program continue to perform regulatory oversight and inspection activities while prioritizing response to adverse incidents, high-risk complaints, and illness investigations.
The Produce Safety Program does not have inspection activities scheduled at this time but remains available for response to a natural disaster or other major adverse events. Program staff is maintaining operations to provide technical support, education, and other outreach for growers.
Contact: Katherine Simon, Director, Food & Feed Safety Division, 651-201-6596 /Katherine.simon@state.mn.us
Dairy Processing Facilities
Our Dairy Inspection Staff is expected to follow all biosecurity and health precautions instituted by dairy manufacturers during in-person visits, and our primary inspection approach will continue to be in-person inspection work. During the COVID-19 situation, MDA Dairy Inspectors will, upon request, conduct virtual or video-based routine inspections at dairy processing facilities in lieu of conducting in-person inspections.
Because of the importance of pasteurizer testing in ensuring pasteurizers are functioning properly, in-person work will still be expected. However, if concerns exist, alternatives may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Requests for virtual inspections or other accommodations should be made directly to the Inspector.
We also recognize the key role milk haulers have in our food supply chain. An online testing format has been made available to help expedite the testing process and to allow options for better social distancing during evaluation and licensing procedures.
Contact: Nicole Neeser, Director, Dairy & Meat Inspection Division, 651-201-6225 /Nicole.neeser@state.mn.us
Pesticide Licensing
Will now exempt individuals from testing and other licensing requirements to allow them to apply general use antimicrobials for hire to disinfect buildings and control the spread of COVID-19. This exemption will expire on April 1, 2021. There are several specific measures tied to this exemption:
- The exemption applies ONLY to commercial application of general use pesticide products for the sanitizing or disinfecting treatment for COVID-19.
- This exemption DOES NOT include those who commercially apply pesticides in HVAC systems or cooling towers in industrial, commercial and institutional buildings, residence, and other buildings to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate indoor mold, bacteria, or other microbes beyond COVID-19.
Contact: Roger Mackedanz, Assistant Director, Pesticide & Fertilizer Management Division, 651-201-6400 / Roger.mackedanz@state.mn.us
Seed, Grain, and Nursery Dealers
We will continue to provide services, including inspections, that are mandatory for plants or plant products to be sold or moved. This includes phytosanitary certification and shipping point inspection, as well as hemp THC analysis and nursery grower inspections, and fruit and vegetable grading under our agreement with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. For our other inspections that do not have a mandated timeline, such as seed, grain, and nursery dealers, we are pausing those inspections and will resume them when the Governor’s Stay-at-Home Order is lifted. We will continue to respond to complaints or other incidents.
Contact: Mark Abrahamson, Director, Plant Protection Division, 651-201-6505 / mark.abrahamson@state.mn.us
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