LANSING — The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has extended its Pandemic Public Health Measures in Migrant Agricultural Worker Housing Emergency Rules through 2021.
Announced Tuesday, the rules require all licensed housing providers to develop and implement a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan for workers. The rules, created under the state’s Administrative Procedures Act emergency rules provisions, are set to expire at the end of 2021.
“Operators of agricultural labor housing have gone to tremendous lengths to protect workers throughout the pandemic,” said Michigan Farm Bureau Associate Legislative Counsel Ben Tirrell.
“With these emergency protocols already in place and all but the very last of this season’s licenses issued, extending these rules is likely not all that significant at this point.”
The rules are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while caring for individuals with the virus, according to MDARD, which created a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan checklist that outlines requirements.
The department will review the COVID-19 employer plans, including items regarding housing pre-occupancy, supervisors, camp posting, and mitigation practices.
“These emergency rules are a continuation of the ones implemented in the spring to protect the health of workers and the public in a practical and effective manner for licensed housing providers,” MDARD Communications Director Jen Holton said in a statement.
“There will be no changes to the rules currently in place.”