Below you can find useful training tools as well as templates/documentation for controlling the spread of COVID-19 in food facilities. We will continue to provide updates to these resources as the situation changes and new information becomes available.
Training for Food Processing Employees (English & Spanish)
COVID-19 Training for Food Industry Workers
IFS@CU and Cornell Cooperative Extension | November 25, 2020
View the Training Videos:
Get a Certificate for Training here:
Training for Fresh Produce Farms and Packinghouses (English & Spanish)
IFS@CU and the Produce Safety Alliance | June 7, 2021
View the Training Videos:
Get a Certificate for Training here:
Educational Videos on COVID-19 (English & Spanish)
COVID-19 Information for Food Industry Workers
IFS@CU and Cornell Cooperative Extension | May 23, 2020
Food Facility Strategy Checklist
This document outlines a draft checklist on COVID-19 risk management strategy implementation for food companies. Possible measures to be implemented are organized following the “TOP” principle – Technical/ Organizational/ Personnel. This is a guide only and any given company is strongly encouraged to modify this to fit their situation and circumstances.
- Food Facility COVID-19 Strategy Checklist
PDF, Updated on May 11, 2020. - Download a word document version here. Updated on May 11, 2020.
- Download a Spanish version here. Updated on May 11, 2020.
This is a work in progress; please contact Louise Felker with feedback and suggestions for corrections. We will post updated versions as we further improve this document.
Frequently Touched Surfaces Checklist
- Download a checklist of frequently touched surfaces. Posted on March 20, 2020.
- Download a checklist in Spanish of frequently touched surfaces. Posted on March 20, 2020.
Decision Trees
- Download a Decision Tree for when an employee is tested for or develops symptoms of COVID-19. Updated on May 25, 2021.
- Download a Decision Tree (Spanish) for when an employee is tested for or develops symptoms of COVID-19. Updated on May 25, 2021.
Symptoms Checklist
- Download a checklist for screening employees and visitors before entering the processing facility.
Updated on May 18, 2020. - Download a checklist (Spanish) for screening employees and visitors before entering the processing facility.
Updated on May 18, 2020.
Standard Operating Procedures
- Download an SOP for actions when a worker is tested for and/or tests positive for COVID-19.
Updated on July 22, 2020. - Download an SOP (Spanish Version) for actions when a worker is tested for and/or tests positive for COVID-19.
Updated on July 22, 2020. - Download an SSOP (PDF) for cleaning and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces.
Updated on April 23, 2020. - Download an SSOP (Word) for cleaning and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces.
Updated on April 23, 2020.
Social Distancing Verification Spreadsheet
- Download a spreadsheet for verifying social distancing in the food processing plant.
Updated on May 13, 2020. - Download a spreadsheet (Spanish) for verifying social distancing in the food processing plant.
Updated on May 13, 2020.
If you have specific questions around ingredients, cleaning/sanitation chemicals and procedures, personnel practices, or other food safety, supply, and distribution changes due to the impact of COVID-19, reach out to our experts:
- Dairy: Rob Ralyea (rdr10@cornell.edu) and Kimberly Bukowski (krb14@cornell.edu)
- Fresh Produce: Dr. Elizabeth Bihn (eab38@cornell.edu) and Gretchen Wall (glw53@cornell.edu)
- Processed Fruits and Vegetables: Dr. Martin Wiedmann (mw16@cornell.edu) and Dr. Randy Worobo (rww8@cornell.edu)
- Fermented Beverages: Dr. Anna Katharine Mansfield (akm87@cornell.edu) and Chris Gerling (cjg9@cornell.edu)
- All Other Foods: Dr. Olga Padilla-Zakour (oip1@cornell.edu) and Dr. Bruno Xavier (bmx2@cornell.edu)
- For Resources in Spanish: Karen Ospina (karen.ospina@cornell.edu)
Our team can also provide process authority services in case you need to change processes and/or formulations due to COVID-19 related challenges. For more information visit the Cornell Food Venture Center and for dairy-related process authority services contact Rob Ralyea (rdr10@cornell.edu).
This work is supported by USDA NIFA AFRI Grant NO:2020-68006-32875/ Accession no. 1024254 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.