Florida ag department announces additional farmworker COVID-19 testing

Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are announcing additional COVID-19 testing sites St. Lucie and Miami Dade County for farmworkers as the fall harvest season begins.

The product of a partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and local county governments, today’s announcement follows COVID-19 testing for farmworkers that was made available earlier this month in Miami Dade and Hillsborough County.

“Keeping Florida farmworkers safe from COVID-19 is crucial — their work helps keep our state, nation, and the entire world fed,” shared Commissioner Nikki Fried. “We’re proud to work with UF/IFAS, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and county governments, and appreciate their partnership to help ensure farmworkers can access COVID-19 testing as the next harvest season begins. The health and safety of farmworkers is vital to our agriculture industry, food supply, and state economy – in the coming weeks we will continue working together to provide additional testing resources based on demand and availability.”

Background: Farmworkers will have access to numerous no-cost COVID-19 testing events in some of Florida’s top agricultural counties. Support for these tests is provided in part by FDACS, FDEM, and county governments. Testing services will continue as funding, demand, and availability allow. Commissioner Fried announced the testing partnership’s launch on Oct. 1. Earlier this year, Fried recommended to the governor that farmworkers be provided with COVID-19 testing to help reduce the virus’ spread among workers and in the community.

Additional Testing Sites:

St. Lucie County
Dates: October 20-22 and November 17-19
Times: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Location: St. Lucie County Fairgrounds: 15601 W. Midway Rd., Fort Pierce, FL 34945
Questions: (772) 462-1660 or patientportalfl.com/s/slf
Flyer: Available for download here

Miami-Dade County
Dates: October 13-15
Times: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Location: 18905 SW 280th St., Homestead, FL 33031
Questions: (786) 746-7887 or mdc.nomihealth.com/signup
Flyer: Available for download here

What to Know: Testing will be free for employers, farmworkers, and their families. Testing sites will be open for walk-up services and appointments, and mobile testing for groups may be available in certain counties. Individuals will be required to wear face masks and provide a name, date of birth, and phone number. Results will generally be available in 36 hours, and will be shared with the individual tested or someone they designate. Additional testing dates for Hendry County are forthcoming, schedules for services will be announced weekly, based on demand and availability.

Outreach Materials: A printable flyer for the testing program may be downloaded here in English, here in Spanish, and here in Creole. Additional county-specific flyers are available below. A Spanish-language radio PSA will air in the participating counties, and a Spanish-language video is available for social media.

Initial Testing Sites:

Miami-Dade County
Dates: October 6, 7, and 8
Times: 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Location: 18905 SW 280^th Street, Homestead, FL 33031
Questions: 786-746-7887 or mdc.nomihealth.com/signup
Flyer: Available for download here

Hillsborough County
Dates: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
Times: 5:00 to 8:00 PM
Location: San Jose Mission, 13524 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Dover, FL 33527
Questions: 727-309-8682 or 813-300-3777
Flyer: Available for download here