I reference the objections submitted by the Virginia Poultry Association and the Virginia Agribusiness Council to support our position.

The food industry has been navigating through the Covid 19 pandemic for several months now and has already implemented many interventions to ensure the safest workplace possible.  Most of the industry has real world results from these interventions that prove them effective at protecting their employees.   Implementing mandated additional measures whose necessity and effectiveness are only speculative, since no science based studies have been done to verify them could prove counterproductive and force unnecessary costs on businesses that are already suffering from severe financial distress as a result of the economic shut down and state mandated business restrictions.

 Rather than impose redundant and conflicting regulatory requirements, VOSH should provide online consultative services for helping employers develop COVID-19 infectious disease preparedness and response plans.