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All non-essential visits have been cancelled at local agri-food processors and farm liaison staff have been confined to desks as companies try to minimise the coronavirus threat.
The aim is to keep factories operational and ensure that milk continues to be collected off-farms, and feed deliveries can continue as normal.
In the marts, managers report that they have increased signage around premises to remind farmers to wash hands regularly.
Ultimately, they are relying on farmers taking a common sense approach and staying away from sales should they feel unwell.
“We intend to operate as normal until such time as health or government officials give instructions to close,” stated one source.
Meat plants
Elsewhere, farmers supplying cattle into meat plants are being excluded from entering the premises to use facilities, and are not allowed to see their cattle graded on the line.
At some feed mills, field staff are being trained in operational tasks, so as to provide cover if staff are off work due to the virus.
Across the main dairy processors in NI, all have confirmed that they have cancelled outside contractors and non-essential maintenance work at their factories, and will either stop or minimise all farm visits.
Lorry drivers
Processors are also notifying suppliers to avoid personal contact with milk collection drivers.
It is the issue of lorry drivers that is one of the main areas of concern, as it is not a role that someone else can readily step into, and there is a very limited pool of drivers available, pointed out one source.
Some senior figures in the industry have also expressed concern that as yet, there hasn’t been any co-ordinated contingency planning done in NI, led by government bodies. “You could say there has been little or no direction given” commented a source. See pages 19 to 23.
Demo postponed
Elsewhere the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has decided to postpone its food standards demonstration in Westminster due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The rally was due to take place on 25 March, with the main focus to urge government not to import food that would be illegal to produce in the UK.
Meanwhile, an online petition calling on the government to uphold food import standards has received 15,000 signatures.
“I would urge anyone who shares these values to sign this petition and send a simple message to government that they want all food eaten in the UK, whether it is in our homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants or shops, to match the high standards expected of our farmers,” said NFU president Minette Batters.
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