Thursday, 13 August 2020 11:11

Beef + Lamb’s advice for farmers

Written by  Staff Reporters
The Greater Auckland region is under Alert Level 3, whilst the rest of the country is under Alert Level 2. The Greater Auckland region is under Alert Level 3, whilst the rest of the country is under Alert Level 2.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has released advice for farmers amid new COVID-19 restrictions.

The Government announced late on Tuesday night that the Greater Auckland region would move back to Alert Level 3 and the rest of the country would move to Alert Level 2 at 12pm on Wednesday. 

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is strongly encouraging farmers to review their systems and ensure they are prepared in case the alert levels are increased in the near future.

Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Ray Smith has confirmed that the same definition of essential services used for the lockdown earlier this year will apply again. 

Farmers in or around the Auckland region – what does Alert Level 3 mean?

MPI is offering specific advice for farmers within the Alert Level 3 region on its website, including steps to take on farm and what essential services and suppliers you can still access.

Main on-farm implications

• Farmers do not need to register as an essential service at Alert Level 3. 

• Here is a boundary map of the Auckland region that Alert Level 3 applies to.

• Employees will need a letter authorising that they are essential worker to cross the boundary, either to come from within the Auckland region to a farm outside the region, or to come to the Auckland region and employ someone from outside of the region. Here is an employee movement letter farmers can use.

• As a business, farmers should ensure that they are following good on-farm protocols to protect workers and ensure swift contract tracing for anyone coming onto the farm. Here is a 10 point plan developed from the last lockdown with advice that still applies.

Access to essential services and farming equipment

• Farmers will have access to key essential services, contractors and supplies. The following is a link to the MPI list, but B+LNZ recommends farmers contact suppliers to confirm arrangements:  

Farmers across the rest of the country

• Farmers do not need to register as an essential service at Alert Level 2.

• All farmers across the rest of the country are currently operating under Alert Level 2 and should be taking practical steps to protect their family, workers and others who may come onto the farm.

• Farmers should take steps to ensure there is good hygiene on their farm, that workers maintain at least a distance of one metre, and they should keep track of those coming onto the farm so that contact tracing can be easily enacted if necessary.

What does this mean for processing?

Processing and exporting companies are reviewing their systems to comply with the Alert Level 3 and Level 2 requirements, drawing on the protocols developed last time around. 

At this stage, they are not foreseeing delays but are encouraging farmers to get in touch with their livestock representatives.

Along with Retail Meat New Zealand, B+LNZ are continuing to advocate for butchers to be open to face-to-face customers under Alert Level 3.

B+LNZ is encouraging all farmers to review their systems in case the alert levels are raised

B+LNZ says the situation can change quickly, therefore it is encouraging farmers to review their systems and ensure they can quickly adjust in the case their region or the whole country moves to Alert Level 4.

Farmers should think about the services or supplies they may need over the next few weeks and talk to their supplier to ensure they have a plan in place to get these if the country moves to Alert Level 4.

B+LNZ will provide further advice if the alert levels rise.

B+LNZ events

For now, B+LNZ will still be continuing with events that are outside the Auckland region and that have under 100 people.

B+LNZ staff are currently reviewing what is coming up and will be in touch with farmers if any events they had registered for have been cancelled and where feasible moved to virtual meetings to better manage risks.

Further information 

• B+LNZ’s COVID-19 webpage.

• The Government’s COVID-19 website

• MPI’s sector-specific information on COVID-19 .

More like this

Autumn sub clover control sets up pasture for spring

Recent widespread autumn rain will have triggered the germination of subterranean clover seeds, and the resulting seedlings should be allowed to reach the 3–4 trifoliate leaf stage before grazing, says Beef+Lamb NZ.

Red meat rebound

The red meat sector is poised for a strong rebound this season, with export receipts forecast to top $10 billion and farm profitability to almost double.

The future of beef breeding

Progeny testing at Pāmu’s Kepler farm in Southland as part of Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Informing New Zealand Beef programme is showing that the benefits of hybrid vigour could have a massive impact on the future of beef breeding.

Methane targets disappoint farmers

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has reiterated calls for New Zealand to revise its methane targets after the Government's "disappointing" announcement of its revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

Featured

Case IH partners with Meet the Need

Tractor manufacturer and distributor Case IH has announced a new partnership with Meet the Need, the grassroots, farmer-led charity working to tackle food insecurity across New Zealand one meal at a time.

25 years on - where are they now?

To celebrate 25 years of the Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship, Ravensdown caught up with past recipients to see where their careers have taken them, and what the future holds for the industry.

Rockit Global appoints COO

Rockit Global has appointed Ivan Angland as its new chief operating officer as it continues its growth strategy into 2025.

National

Machinery & Products

Iconic TPW Woolpress turns 50!

The company behind the iconic TPW Woolpress, which fundamentally changed the way wool is baled in Australia and New Zealand,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Keep it up

OPINION: The good fight against "banking wokery" continues with a draft bill to scrap the red tape forcing banks and…

We're OK!

OPINION: Despite the volatility created by the shoot-from-the-hip trade tariff 'stratefy' being deployed by the new state tenants in the…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter