Food production considered essential

The governor has issued Executive order 2020-10 which is a statewide stay-at-home order that aims to keep new cases of coronavirus from rapidly increasing.

"We are doing all that we can to maintain as much normalcy as possible while taking the steps we must to protect our residents," said Governor JB Pritzker. "I fully recognize that in some cases I am choosing between saving people's lives and saving their livelihoods. But ultimately, you can't have a livelihood without a life."

Agriculture falls under Pritzker’s “essential infrastructure” listing. This covers those working in food production, distribution and sale. The category also involves construction, building management and maintenance, airport operations, maintenance of utilities along with oil and biofuel refining.