The Star Tribune (and other sources) are reporting Walz extends stay-at-home order to May 4. Some of the details:
Gov. Tim Walz is extending a statewide stay-at-home order to May 4 as part of an effort to reduce or delay the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota.
“We bought the time we needed,” Walz said at an afternoon news conference. “It can all go sideways very quickly if we don’t continue.”
Walz said he extended the order based on guidance from federal health officials, the experience of other states that took early action and saw good results, as well as modeling done by state and University of Minnesota researchers.
By extending the stay-at-home order, Minnesota’s peak COVID-19 caseload should get pushed back to July, giving Minnesota time to add hospital capacity, and purchase more ventilators, testing supplies and masks and other protective equipment.
“The supply issue is not going away,” said Walz.
The state will begin a process to evaluate which businesses could reopen if they can maintain social distancing, including landscaping firms or golf courses that need to do maintenance. . . .
Already added to the list of Critical Sector Descriptions (page 4):
Workers supporting garden centers or stores, provided that such centers or stores adhere to guidance provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
We first saw this good news via a tweet by Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Bakst, but knew pressure to include these workers in the essential list was coming from several directions.
One was a Change.org petition started by Jennifer Buse, Allow Garden Centers in Minnesota under COVID-19 Protections that begins:
We are the 100’s of mom & pop garden centers located throughout Minnesota, and as Governor Walz is doing his best to mitigate the damage done by COVID-19. We would request one exception to the “Shelter in place” set in place on 3/25 for the allowance of Garden Centers in Minnesota to be open for the purpose of mental and physical well-being. We understand the big box stores need to be open to sell hardware, but with them also having the ability to sell plants and us being restricted to have online sales, delivery, and curb side pickup only of our plants, we are asking to be open. . . .
Over 8200 people had signed it as we write this post.
Governor Walz was also getting a gentle push from South St. Paul DFL state representative Rick Hansen, who sent a letter to the Governor and Lt. Governor on Sunday.
He shared the letter on his personal Facebook page on Wednesday:
I sent this letter 🌱last Saturday:
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻April 4, 2020
Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan
130 State Capitol
75 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155Dear Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan:
Thank you for your leadership during this unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. Minnesotans have virtually come together in response to the #StayAtHome order. I have been hearing directly from constituents about a renewed interest in gardening, growing our own food and related outdoor activities. These outdoor activities are important in the next few weeks as spring is finally here for planting to begin.
I am asking you to add gardening to list of outdoor activities that Minnesotans may leave their homes or residences to engage in, provided that all persons follow Minnesota Department of Health guidelines. Generations ago, Minnesotans planted Victory Gardens during World War I and II. We can help achieve victory over this virus, by working safely with our soil to grow.
In order for Minnesotans to work at these productive outdoor growing efforts, they need seed, plants and tools. Currently, large national big-box stores are exempted from the shutdown order, and continue to sell plants, garden supplies, and other products, while local Mom and Pop retail garden centers remain closed throughout our state. Allowing Minnesota garden centers to open is vital for their continued success in a highly competitive market.
I am asking that you add Retail Garden Centers to the Food and Agriculture Exemptions - Critical Sectors. This can help facilitate Minnesotans to plant and grow.
The garden center retail component of the horticulture industry is critical to the success of the entire industry and each business within it. The survival of retail nursery operations and the continued employment of their workers depend on these businesses being allowed to continue operating during this crisis. The closure of these retail centers severely limits the movement of perishable plant material through the supply chain.
Allowing our garden centers to be open is vital for their continued success in a highly competitive market. Our retail garden centers, are regulated by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and can operate safely and responsibly, implementing the following best practices for safe retail operations, as well as state and federal workplace safety guidelines:
• Companies can implement COVID-19 sick leave policies, CDC guidance, and other best practices.
• Garden centers can implement sanitation practices, including items such as carts, check out areas, display stands, and limits on the physical exchange of payment.
• Garden centers can enforce social distancing, including occupancy limits and management of customer movement.
• Companies can implement no-contact outdoor check, curbside pickup, and delivery, with delivery being authorized by the order.I ask for your support for these changes during this critical time.
Sincerely,
Rick Hansen
State Representative, 52Acc: Thom Peterson, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
We're been gardening since we were a wee girl growing up in rural Le Sueur County--and continue to grow and process much of our own food.
Just as State reps Becker-Finn & Fue Lee ask governor to recognize fishing & hunting as essential, Hansen was discussing a form of recreation which is also vital to many Minnesotans' diet.
BTW, the Governor took Becker-Finn and Fue Lee's letter to heart, as we commented over a tweet by MinnPost's Greta Kaul:
I see hunting and fishing on the can-do outdoors list now, @jbeckerfinn and @RepFueLee. Good work! https://t.co/jjVyABmrhS
— Sally Jo Sorensen (@sallyjos) April 8, 2020
Here's hoping for a great growing season in Minnesota and here in South Dakota.
Photo: Posted to Facebook by Rick Hansen on April 5. Cropped.
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