In an April 2 teleconference, representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture sought to reassure state residents of the security of the food supply chain, in addition to the availability and safety of food, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ensuring that Pennsylvania has a safe, healthy and accessible food supply is central to the mission of the Department of Agriculture, but we also know it is central and critical to a functioning commonwealth at this time,” Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said in his opening statement.

Redding, who emphasized the situation is not “business as usual” for the food industry, noted health officials’ predictions of increasing difficulties due to COVID-19. He said all aspects of the food industry have a “heavy responsibility” to continue providing life-sustaining services.

“We must be vigilant in managing the things we can control; our essential food companies, retailers and their workers must continue to take every precaution to remain healthy and to keep our food supply safe and accessible.”

Redding said food shoppers should plan their trips in advance and seek to get groceries only once a week or every two weeks to limit potential exposure.

He also advised shoppers to avoid buying huge amounts of food, noting over purchasing at grocery stores has created a challenge for food charity organizations to provide for those less fortunate.

“Buying a month’s worth of food makes it hard for our neighbors, food banks and our food pantries to get the food that they need,” he said.

“For those folks who are at the food bank, they’re seeing the effects of a surge in demand at a time when food is even more difficult to get.”

He was asked about the availability of food for grocery stores and charity organizations.

Redding said there have been some problems in the short run with “retooling” processors and food industry partners for retail packaged items.

“We feel just in the total volume that we have sufficient food, but we have some challenges in the distribution at the moment,” he said, noting many Pennsylvania companies have built their businesses around bulk packaging and distribution and now must change to “almost exclusively” home-purchased items.

The result, Redding said, has been a temporary bog-down of the supply chain as demand for these products increases at both stores and food pantries.

“That’s the pipeline challenge we have of getting things on the shelf at the grocery store and things on the shelf at the food bank,” Redding said.

He noted work is being done by the department, federal regulators and industry partners to relax restrictions and repackage bulk products for retail sale, increasing food availability.

Addressing possible food insecurity for low-income or out-of-work people, Redding said Gov. Tom Wolf requested the USDA reconsider federal restrictions to the SNAP food supplement program, which would improve access to essential goods.

He said Wolf had also asked the USDA to grant Pennsylvania increased flexibility to apply SNAP components for different levels of income eligibility and distribution.

Finally, Redding praised nonprofit organizations, food banks and volunteer groups for doing a “phenomenal job” of trying to keep up with the demand despite ongoing challenges and short-term issues.

“We’ll do what we can to try to help with the retail and grocery stores, as well as the food bank level,” Redding said.

Regarding concerns about preventing coronavirus from spreading, Sheri Morris, assistant director of Food Safety, and Jeff Warner, director of the Bureau of Food Safety, both noted the Food and Drug Administration has found no evidence of food or food packaging, either in grocery stores or takeout restaurants, being associated with COVID-19 transmission.

“I think that’s a critical point consumers need to be aware of as we reassure them of the safety of the food supply,” Warner said.

He added by following the standard four food safety steps - cleaning, separating, cooking and chilling - customers can be assured most food borne illness can be prevented.

Morris said efforts in food facilities to maintain personal hygiene and keep work environments sanitized are “critical to limiting the spread of COVID-19 …”

She said the Department of Agriculture has published guidance documents listing best practices - including social distancing rules for employees and customers, employee protective measures, illness management tips, and effective sanitizing or disinfecting guidelines - to ensure workers and customers stay safe.

Morris and Warner also noted food inspectors from the Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, county and local health departments, are working with food retailers, manufacturers and distributors to keep the food supply safe and in compliance.

Warner said regular inspections had been halted temporarily but as of April 1 inspectors have resumed inspections and continue to provide guidance to essential businesses.

“Pennsylvanians need to know their food is safe; it is something we can ensure through proactive inspections,” he said.

She was asked what food inspectors were finding in their inspections.

Morris said the food industry is “trying its best to comply.”

She said while some businesses have faced challenges, on a whole, most facilities have been implementing social distancing guidelines, installing clear shields or barriers for employees’ protection, and enhancing sanitation and hygiene processes, among other efforts.

Warner said additional mitigation strategies also being taken by businesses include modifying attendance policies and penalties, not permitting symptomatic or ill employees to report for work staggering shifts and scheduling and practicing telework wherever possible.

“Even in normal times, food manufacturers are very diligent about sanitization and food safety,” Warner said, “In the battle against COVID-19, reemphasizing the importance of these practices goes a long way toward mitigating the risk of exposure.”

Finally, he advised food businesses to stay informed on the developing coronavirus situation by following resources from the CDC, FDA, USDA and Pennsylvania Department of Health to ensure Pennsylvanians stay reliably well supplied.

“I’d like people to understand that our food supply is as safe as we can possibly make it,” Warner said in closing.

“We’re doing our part to be in the field and helping our food manufacturing and retail partners navigate this crisis.”