Michigan State University Student Organic Farm COVID-19 Updates
Updated August 2, 2021
All individuals are required to wear a mask while indoors (including hoop houses) and to be vaccinated by August 31. Read more here.
Covid-19 vaccination required by August 31, 2021
Influenza (flu) vaccination requirement
Mandatory COVID-19 testing
Staff, Crew & Visitor Precautions:
Produce Handling and Markets:
Educational Programs:
In accordance with Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-21 (section 8c), SOF Production Staff is designated as critical infrastructure workers due to their life sustaining activities in the sector of Food and Agriculture. Further, the SOF Staff’s specific activities relate to “farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically” in the Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers during COVID-19 Response issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on March 19th, 2020.
SOF staff are authorized and required to maintain a regular in person presence at the Michigan State University facility located at 3291 College Rd, Holt, MI 48842.
This is an evolving situation, and we will continue to review and update this web page as conditions change and/or Michigan State University Policy and Federal and State CDC advisories are updated.
Updated August 2, 2021
All individuals are required to wear a mask while indoors (including hoop houses) and to be vaccinated by August 31. Read more here.
Covid-19 vaccination required by August 31, 2021
- MSU Health Care is offering doses of the Pfizer vaccine to all students and faculty through the MSU Pharmacy.
- Their hours are Tuesday to Thursday 12 to 4 p.m., and Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here to schedule your appointment.
Influenza (flu) vaccination requirement
- As communicated by the University Physician, students living on campus or coming to campus or any university-controlled property (including SOF) during the spring semester will be required to have received an influenza vaccine. Those students will be asked to verify they have received the vaccine before coming to campus in January. It is highly recommended for all other students, faculty and staff coming to campus or to any MSU property.
- Many pharmacies and local health care providers offer flu vaccines. Students also can receive a flu vaccine at MSU’s Olin Health Center.
Mandatory COVID-19 testing
- Undergraduate students living on campus or coming to campus (including the SOF) any time this spring will be required to participate in MSU’s COVID-19 Early Detection Program.
- SOF staff will voluntarily participate in this testing as well.
Staff, Crew & Visitor Precautions:
- Staff, crew and visitors openly communicate about potential exposures for those on the farm from outside of work; if deemed necessary due to exposure or sickness, team members will stay home until they have received a negative coronavirus test result or have stayed home and are symptom-free for two weeks.
- All farm staff must STAY HOME if they or a member of their household:
- Is sick (I.e. cough, fever, sore throat, congestion, headache, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, diarrhea etc.)
- Are not vaccinated and have come into contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19
- Staff, crew and visitors who have not been vaccinated are strongly encouraged to test monthly:
- Hand washing facilities / stations are available in Yakeley House, the Work House, Wash Pack Station, the winery, and bathrooms. Staff and crew must wash hands frequently, including after using the bathroom, eating, switching tasks, changing locations on the farm and before harvesting.
- Hand washing is required before and regularly throughout harvest shifts, even if workers are wearing gloves. Gloves and hand sanitizer are available, but hand washing with soap and water regularly will still be required regardless of their use.
- SOF Staff is working closely with the Horticulture Teaching and Research Center and Department of Horticulture Management to integrate policies and procedures made by each unit.
Produce Handling and Markets:
- Follow SOF Food Safety Plan and additional COVID-19 precautions for food handling and markets.
- Washed hands are required for harvest. No reused bags or wax boxes are to be used for food for any reason.
- Because COVID-19 is known to survive for up to 3 days on surfaces, and survives longer in moisture, SOF will take extra precaution to clean, sanitize and air dry all food-contact surfaces (we already do this, but will take extra precautions to ventilate wash pack area in order for thorough drying to take place).
- Markets:
- SOF has created an online ordering system for pick up by customers during CSA distribution.
- Wholesale sales will continue; currently, there is no knowledge of coronavirus contamination on food (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/coronavirus-no-evidence-food-source-or-transmission-route). SOF will ask wholesale customers to stay off the farm; staff will deliver product to customers.
- Summer CSA pick-up will continue to be a no-contact drive through distribution.
Educational Programs:
- Tours and Group Visits are back and available! Contact us for more information and to set up a time.
- HRT 251, Organic Farming Principles & Practices, is being taught remotely via Zoom with plans for in person teaching this Fall.
- 2021 OFTP is taking place both virtually and in person on the farm.
In accordance with Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-21 (section 8c), SOF Production Staff is designated as critical infrastructure workers due to their life sustaining activities in the sector of Food and Agriculture. Further, the SOF Staff’s specific activities relate to “farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically” in the Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers during COVID-19 Response issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on March 19th, 2020.
SOF staff are authorized and required to maintain a regular in person presence at the Michigan State University facility located at 3291 College Rd, Holt, MI 48842.
This is an evolving situation, and we will continue to review and update this web page as conditions change and/or Michigan State University Policy and Federal and State CDC advisories are updated.