Food is safe, and supply chain is secure, Pennsylvania agriculture officials say

Food is safe, and supply chain is secure, Pennsylvania agriculture officials say

By Brad Klein

April 3, 2020

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture officials say the state’s food supply is secure and that COVID-19 is not spreading via food products. Agriculture Secretary Russel Redding spoke with reporters via phone on Thursday, April 2.

“Pennsylvania’s grocery stores, food banks, pantries and the entire agriculture industry have a heavy responsibility right now, that is to provide continuous access to safe food supply during the most challenging crisis that most of us have ever experienced,” said Redding.

Assistant Director of Food Safety, Sheri Morris noted that danger comes from human contact, not contact with groceries.

“The federal food and drug administration has clearly said that there is not any evidence of food or food packaging being associated with Transmission of COVID19,” said Morris.

Secretary Redding said that safety inspections of food production and handling locations, which had been briefly suspended during the pandemic, have now resumed. And he urged consumers to plan ahead and shop for groceries every one or two weeks, noting that fewer trips mean less potential exposure to other shoppers.

The department also plans to issue guidelines that reinforce existing food safety practices, such as hand washing, storage guidelines, and disinfecting surfaces.