Wineries & Vineyards May Operate Under Governor’s New “Stay at Home” Order

Governor Gavin Newsom issued a new statewide order on Thursday, March 19, for all Californians to “stay home or at their place of residence except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of federal critical infrastructure sector.”

Wine Institute has confirmed with the Governor’s administration our interpretation that the new order allows winery and vineyard operations to continue under the Food and Agriculture Sector critical infrastructure plan. The Governor’s order states:

“The federal government has identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, economic security, public health or safety, or any combination thereof. I order that Californians working in these 16 critical infrastructure sectors may continue their work because of the importance of these sectors to Californian’s health and well-being.”

The United States Department of Homeland Security identifies the Food and Agriculture Sector as one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors, and defines food and agriculture as:

“Agriculture comprises establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising animals, harvesting timber, and harvesting fish and other animals from a farm, ranch, or their natural habitats. Food establishments transform livestock and agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. The industry groups are distinguished by the raw materials (generally of animal or vegetable origin) processed into food and beverage products. The food and beverage products manufactured in these establishments are typically sold to wholesalers or retailers for distribution to consumers.”

Wineries and vineyards are listed in the “Food and Agriculture Sector Infrastructure Taxonomy.”

Wine Institute will provide further details here as we review the order.