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Marts must impose stricter rules on social distancing from midnight on Tuesday as the country moves into Level 3 coronavirus restrictions.
Social distance of 2m must be enforced at marts, an increase from the 1m required since July.
Face coverings must be worn by all staff and visitors to the mart.
The Department of Agriculture has directed that livestock marts must submit a revised COVID-19 Level 3 standard operating procedure to their Regional Veterinary Office.
A Department spokesperson said that the social distance changes “are similar to restrictions on marts operations that were in place in June".
"This means that 2m social distancing must be enforced at marts, in addition to a range of detailed measures relating to staff, visitors and structures.”
Challenge
The move will inevitably curtail the number of people who can attend at smaller marts.
Ray Doyle of ICOS said this would be a challenge to some marts at peak weanling sales, when the vast bulk of their annual turnover is happening.
“But they can still trade and they also have the online option to see, which many did not have earlier this year,” he pointed out.
SHARING OPTIONS: