Passing this on from the VT AAgency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. -TB

Good morning Terry,

Please share the upcoming COVID-19 related sessions with fruit growers as you see fit.

Thanks,

Ollie

Ollie Cultrara (they/them)

Produce Program Outreach & Education Coordinator

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets | agriculture.vermont.gov

Cell: (802) 461-5128 | 94 Harvest Lane, Williston, VT 05495

COVID-19 Updates and Resources

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Two upcoming virtual sessions address COVID-19 considerations on farms (details below):

• Vaccinations in the Workplace – Thursday 4/29, 2-3 pm
• Getting Ready for Pick-Your-Own: Do’s and Don’ts for the Upcoming Season – Tuesday 5/4, 4-5 pm

Vaccination in the Workplace Forum

Thursday, April 29, 2-3 pm

Free and you must register in advance.

Is your farm considering asking employees to get the vaccine? The VT Manufacturing Extension Center is offering a free forum for employers to learn more about the human resources and legal issues around requiring or encouraging workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Panelists will discuss workplace vaccination policy considerations, requesting proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and best practices for communicating with employees about these policies, among other topics.

Getting Ready for Pick-Your-Own — Do’s and Don’ts for the Upcoming Season

Tuesday, May 4, 4-5pm

Free and you must register in advance.

Do you open your farm to visitors/customers? Join growers and ag service providers from the Northeast for an interactive discussion about what is working and what is not as we prepare to open our farms to visitors for the upcoming pick-your-own season. The berries are ripening and the Covid-19 pandemic is evolving – what does that mean for PYO visitor management this season? What did you do last year that you’ll continue and what will be different this season?

Featuring: Lisa Chase from University of Vermont Extension, Deb Colitas from Valley Fruits & Veggies in the Lehigh Valley of PA, Claudia Schmidt from Penn State Extension, and YOU! Come ready to share your PYO questions and experiences managing visitors.

This is the first agritourism zoom café in a series that will cover several topics for farms open to visitors through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Christi Sherlock at 802-476-2003 or Christi.Sherlock so we may assist you.

Interested in having a safety expert visit your farm? A team of ag service providers in the Northeast is providing personalized safety assessments that will take place either virtually or on your farm (not just for PYO, this is for any type of farm open to visitors). Sign up HERE.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588.