COVID-19 Resources for Businesses, Farms, and Communities
Mississippi FARM Corps
The mission of Mississippi FARM Corps is to provide a ready, willing, and able workforce of National Guard and Reserve soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and other military veterans in service to American agriculture.
Handouts:
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Hand Hygiene
Handwashing_COVID-19_Flyer_031220-1.pdf
MSUHandwashing_COVID-19_Flyer_Spanish.pdf
Homemade Hand Sanitizer – Small scale recipe from World Health Organization formulation
Homemade-Hand-Sanitizer_COVID-19_Flyer.pdf
MSUHomemade-Hand-Sanitizer_COVID-19_Flyer_032920-Spanish.pdf
Cleaning and Disinfection
Cleaning-and-disinfection_COVID-19_Flyer_031520.pdf
MSUCleaning-and-desinfection_COVID-19_Flyer_031720-Spanish.pdf
Foodservice
General FAQs and Employee Health
Retail-FAQ_COVID-19_031520.pdf
ProduceProduction_Food-Safety_COVID-19_Flyer_MSU.pdf
MSUSpanish_Food-Safety_COVID-19_Flyer.pdf
Cleaning and Disinfection
Retail-Cleaning_COVID-19_032620MSU.pdf
Receiving and Food Packaging
Retail-Packaging_COVID-19_031520.pdf
Restaurant Reopening Information
AFDO Restaurant Reopening Fact Sheet v.5.pdf
National-Restaurant-Association-COVID19-Reopening-Guidance.pdf
Grocery Store
General FAQs and Employee Health
Grocery-Store-Cleaning-and-Disinfection-FAQ_COVID-19_031520.pdf
Cleaning and Disinfection
Grocery-Store-Cleaning-and-Disinfection-FAQ_COVID-19_031520.pdf
Receiving and Food Packaging
Grocery-Store-Cleaning-and-Disinfection-FAQ_COVID-19_031520.pdf
Grocery Shopping
MSUSpanish_Grocery-Shopping_COVID-19_Flyer.pdf
Food Bank
Best Practices and Communication
Food-Bank-Best-Practices_COVID-19_031620.pdf
Receiving Food and Cleaning
Food-Banks-Receiving-and-Cleaning_COVID-19_031620.pdf
Farmers’ Markets
Handling COVID-19 at Farmers’ Markets
Farm-Stand_COVID-19_FlyerMSU.pdf
U-Pick Farms
Handling COVID-19 at U-Pick Farms
U-Pick-Farms_COVID-19_031620.pdf
Additional
Community-Gardens_COVID-19_Flyer MSU.pdf
Bulk-Beef-Sales_COVID-19_Flyer MSU.pdf
Bulk-Pork-Sales_COVID-19_Flyer MSU.pdf
Bulk-Poultry-Sales_COVID-19_Flyer MSU.pdf
COVID_RetailBestPractices_Infographic_04092020.pdf
COVID_RetailBestPractices_FullFactSheet_04092020_2.pdf
Online Resources:
USDA - https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus
Retail Food Environments, Farms, and Industry
Preparing Businesses
OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 - https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf
World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf
Industry
Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Coronavirus and Pandemic Preparedness for the Food Industry: https://www.fmi.org/docs/default-source/food-safety/pandemic-planning-final_verison3-12-20-6.pdf?sfvrsn=347510a0_2
The Acheson Group (TAG), COVID-19 FAQ for the Food Industry: https://www.achesongroup.com/covid-19faqs
Farms
Cornell University - Novel Coronavirus Prevention & Control for Farms - http://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/2020/03/12/novel-coronavirus-prevention-control-for-farms/
EPA, List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
EPA, Drinking Water and Waste Water - https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater
CDC, How to Remove Gloves https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/poster-how-to-remove-gloves.pdf
National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) - https://foodsafetyfocus.com/FoodSafetyFocus/media/Library/pdfs/Coronavirus_2019-nCoV_Info_TipsforRestaurants.pdf
National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) - https://foodsafetyfocus.com/tools-research
National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) Webinar - https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=reg20.jsp&referrer=&eventid=2216823&sessionid=1&key=50D3E4DFAC40026D6518A91355C476F9®Tag=&sourcepage=register
Fightbac, Cleaning and Sanitizing High-Touch Surfaces, https://www.fightbac.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Cleaning_and_Disinfecting_High-Touch_Surfaces.pdf
Georgia Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Recommendations COVID-19 http://agr.georgia.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/ag_consumerprotection/food_safety/files/covid19preventionrecommendations.pdf
Publications
News
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The saying goes that tough times bring out the best and worst in people. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception, and consumers need to be wary of potential fraud related to the vaccine as it is rolled out.
Those who have not yet scheduled an appointment to receive their first dose will be waiting another month. On Jan. 15, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported that appointments may be limited until late January, as most of the state’s available vaccine inventory had already been scheduled or distributed.
The Mississippi State University Extension Service Head Start Program in Harrison County is proving resilient in safely living up to its mission of easing the transition to school for families with young children.
Mississippi farmers generated an estimated agricultural value of $7.35 billion in 2020, a 5% increase from 2019 that saw soybeans top forestry for the No. 2 spot behind poultry.
While Thanksgiving is an obvious food holiday, Christmas also brings numerous opportunities to celebrate with food, and every one of these should be done with care to keep guests healthy.
Byron Williams, state food processing specialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said safety is always a concern any time food is prepared, but it can become a bigger issue when there are lots of leftovers.
Because many families are celebrating this holiday season a little differently, we might feel a little stressed. One of the things that helps me stay grounded during this time is physical activity. It’s one of the most important things you can do for your health.
Success Stories
Variety trials exemplify Extension’s service to growers through pandemic
For 10 years, a small portion of Moody Farms in Tishomingo County has been sectioned off for cotton variety trial plots. That streak continued in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lexington coalition organizes food giveaway amid pandemic
When the Guardian (U.S. edition) released its article “In the poorest county, in America’s poorest state, a virus hits home: ‘Hunger is rampant’” in early April 2020, a local coalition in Holmes County had already organized to create a food pantry in Lexington.
4-H’er creates instructional video
4-H’ers learn by doing, pandemic or no pandemic. So, even though Aaron Lampley could not meet with the Winston County Photography Club, he could leverage technology to increase his own skills and share his expertise with other photo enthusiasts.
Extension supports city clerks during pandemic
Many things about the way Jo Ann Robbins did her job changed when coronavirus hit.
“The COVID-19 pandemic impacted my work and my personal life in ways I never dreamed possible”
4-H’er uses tech to unite club, serve community
Not many teens—or adults, for that matter—know the ins and outs of Robert’s Rules of Order, but 17-year-old Chasity Moses is making a habit of knowing and doing things that set her apart.
Watch

Conversations about Coronavirus: Interview with Wayne Madkin
Monday, April 27, 2020 - 11:30am