COVID-19 Information for Agriculture and Food Businesses

DACF continues to ensure functions critical to the agency and industry needs are met and carried out in the interest of public safety and public health. To keep our agricultural producers, businesses, and service providers as up-to-date as possible on health and safety issues with the ongoing COVID-19 situation, DACF will maintain the most recent information and guidance from the Maine Centers for Disease Control and our federal and state partners. We are in contact with producers and agricultural organizations across Maine to try and find effective ways to minimize the negative impact on growers and address your concerns and issues. Please continue to reach out, and we will do our best to respond and share as much information as we can during this time.

On this page:

Essential Services Interim Guidance

Guidance documents last updated April 6, 2020.

Note that the Department’s essential services guidance documents provide additional context to the Governor’s emergency proclamation of March 24, 2020. However, the proclamation does not compel any business designated as essential to continue to operate. The Department recognizes that the practicalities of and risks posed by staying open as a business can be difficult during these unprecedented times. It is ultimately your decision as a business owner to continue to stay open, adjust your schedules and routines, or to shut down. 

Essential Public Health Information

Financial Resources for Farmers, Producers, Loggers, Truckers, & Wood Processing Facilities

The federal government recently passed the Phase Three Coronavirus Package which included the Coronavirus Relief Fund ($150B), the Agriculture Secretary’s Relief Fund ($9B), and USDA Commodity Credit Corporation funding ($14B). The Department will update this page as more details emerge regarding how these funds will be made available to food producers and farmers.

Resources for Planning & Responding to COVID-19 for Farm and Forestry Producers

Cleaning and Sanitizing

Food Safety

Farmers' Markets

Livestock

Farm Labor

Information for Veterinarians, Shelters, Kennels & Pet Owners

Find Local Food and Food Assistance

Other Resources

Maine CDC

Governor’s Office

Maine DECD

CDC

Notice of Temporary Building Closure

  • DACF’s Deering Building, which houses the Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, and Harlow Building, which houses the Maine Forest Service, are temporarily closed to the public. Should you require assistance, please call (207) 287-3200. Thank you.