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MDARD issues emergency order, state rules still apply
The Michigan Department of Agriculture has issued emergency rules for migrant housing and workers for the next six months.
Director Gary McDowell says the rules are similar to those issued by the Department of Health and Human Services last year and are needed to implement protection measures as the growing season nears.
A spokesperson for the Health and Human Services Department tells Brownfield their Ag Worker Testing Order is also still in effect which requires new ag workers to be COVID tested. That order requires all migrant housing camps, all ag employers with more than 20 employees on-site at a time of migrant, H-2A, and seasonal ag workers as well as operators of greenhouses, and meat, poultry, and egg processing plants to conduct COVID-19 tests.
The Ag Department’s emergency rule will also require a preparedness and response plan which covers migrant housing occupancy, communications, and sanitation protocols.
Officials say there are currently no plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccines.
