Why won't the U.S. Government shut down the Agricultural sector during the COVID-19 outbreak?

We know you all are worried about feed stores shutting down, and not being able to feed your chickens. You shouldn't be, though.

Even as various states shut down different types of businesses and ask people to shelter in place, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security designates the Food and Agriculture industries as critical infrastructure.

Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21) classifies agriculture as one of sixteen critical infrastructure sectors, "considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof."

Read about it on the U.S. Government website

Therefore, know that the government will not force the shutdown of stores, either brick-and-mortar or online, that provide supplies and feed for your animals.

This directive applies to pet food companies, too

If you were wondering, your pets are protected by this directive, too. Pet food and pet care products are also considered essential. If you want to read the full list of types of food and agricultural businesses that the government considers essential and therefore will not shut down, see pages 90-106 on this PDF put out jointly by the Department of Homeland Security, the USDA and the FDA.