Exemption from Travel Restrictions

Local officials of select Kansas counties have issued stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Those counties include to this point: Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Douglas, Atchison, Doniphan, Miami, and Lyon. The orders do not pertain to activities including, but not limited to seeking medical attention and medication, purchasing food supplies, filling up with gas, etc.

The Department of Homeland Security issued general guidance identifying critical infrastructure sectors, including Food and Agriculture. Included as critical, but no limited to:

• Farm workers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically

• Farm workers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs

• Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers

• Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments

• Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids

• Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; raising of animals for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and associated regulatory and government workforce

• Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution

KCA recommends cattle producers, feedyards, farmers, and all related support business immediately provide a Exemption from Travel Restrictions letter to all employees, even in counties not affected by travel restrictions at this time. We suggest modifying the letter to include your company’s information. Place copies of the letter in each company vehicle, and have employees keep copies in their personal vehicles as well.

If you need assistance updating the information in the letter, please email cowsrus@kansascattlemen.com with the appropriate business contact information: Company Name, Supervisor Name, and Business Phone Number. KCA will reply with the appropriate modifications.