COVID-19 Resources for the Food Industry

Update: We’ve launched a COVID-19 Prevention and Control System, complete with templates for pandemic-related SOPs and other documentation that are required in major jurisdictions. Learn more about what Icicle can do for you here.

The entire world is now affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and yet the food industry must continue to produce products or risk another crisis on top of what is currently underway. While work goes on, it is not business as usual, so we’re compiling some resources to help food businesses get the information and advice they need.

There are many challenges emerging from the global pandemic. Companies may be struggling to dramatically scale up production to meet growing demand in grocery stores, or they may be scaling down due to lost business (for example, restaurants, hotels, or cancelled events and conferences). They may be trying to find ways to implement social distancing to maintain employee health, facilitate employees working remotely, or dealing with staffing shortages due to illness or other challenges. There may be massive logistical challenges relating to managing inventory, warehouses, shipping, and receiving, especially given border and travel restrictions.

At Icicle Technologies Inc., we are working hard to ensure that our food and cannabis ERP system helps you stay up and running safely. Like many other businesses, we’re also looking for ways to directly assist the industry in keeping our food supply safe and secure. We’ve released a free example COVID-19 SOP for pandemic responses. 

In this post, we’re compiling COVID-19 resources that may be of use to our clients and others in the industry:

• Information is now coming out about a federal aid package specifically targeted at the Canadian food and agriculture sectors. Learn more here.
• BC Food & Beverage is launching a program to procure PPE for food production, seafood, and agriculture sectors in British Columbia, with the assistance of government funding. Learn more here.
• BC Food & Beverage has also launched a website for COVID-19 responses for food processors in British Columbia, including information on upcoming events, regulatory info, and more.
• The Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University has launched a website for the food industry, including an FAQ, strategy checklist, and are offering virtual office hours with their faculty.
• The US FDA has created an FAQ for the food industry, with new information added every few days.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has also created a COVID-19 response page on their website, including information about CFIA activities during this time.
• The US Department of Labour has issued a guidance document on preparing workplaces for COVID-19. While not specifically targeted toward the food industry, it has relevant information for all workplaces.
• WorkSafe BC has a series of excellent resources for food and beverage processors.
• Food Processing Magazine is doing a great job at compiling information for the food industry as well, including market reports and news and a new series of e-handbooks and special reports. Other popular food industry publications are also publishing plenty of news and information about the pandemic, including Food Safety Tech.

Make sure to check your local government’s website for updates specific to your location, including information on how COVID-19 is affecting inspections.

If anyone would like to add links to this list of COVID-19 resources, you can contact us via Twitter or email at covid19@icicletechnologies.com. 

Icicle users who wish to learn more about features available to you that can help you maintain – and scale up – your operations, facilitate working remotely, implement automated workflows like incident responses, and protect the health of employees and the public, can contact our team directly at support@icicletechnologies.com. This service is being offered free of charge.