Agricultural Workers Priority Definition
Monday February 22, 2021
This is a bit confusing, because the term "agricultural workers" refers to A LOT of people, but they are not ALL eligible at this time.
Starting March 1st, agricultural workers who meet the definition below will be eligible to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Agricultural workers that do not work in an environment where they work in close proximity to others do NOT qualify at this time.
Details to clarify the categories of workers within the food and agricultural sector who will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 1 are as follows:
The state’s food and agriculture sector is critical to feeding Michiganders, the continuity of the economy and spans a wide range of jobs. Within the sector, workers at the highest risk are those who must work in close proximity to many other people for extended periods of time. In Michigan and across the country, there have been significant outbreaks particularly in processing of meat, fruit and vegetable processing, and in harvesting of some crops. Therefore, our priority is on:
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Food processing workers, including especially meat processing and meatpacking facilities; processing of fruit and vegetables; dairy processing; animal feed manufacturing; food and animal feed ingredient manufacturing; beverage production; and the production of food packaging.
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Farmers and farm workers, including migrant and seasonal workers, involved in raising, cultivating, harvesting, packing, storing, and distributing agricultural commodities, and who are by the nature of their work in close proximity and contact with other people.
The original press release announcing the change is at MDHHS.
MDHHS announcement