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Marts across the country have taken drastic measures in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including cancelling sales and putting strict rules in place limiting numbers in marts.
ICOS has warned that if marts fail to comply with 100-person limits and social distancing guidelines, they could be forced to close.
To help alleviate the pressure on marts, it has asked the Department of Agriculture to reduce the stocking density period for ANC payments from seven to five months.
This would allow farmers more time to buy animals to comply with stocking requirements.
Mart Managers of Ireland (MMI) has gone even further, closing canteens, prohibiting children and requesting farmers to sign in at their affiliated marts
The Associated Livestock Marts, which represents many privately owned and some co-operative marts said their member marts were making their own decisions but reiterated that only “trading customers” should attend sales.
Mart Managers of Ireland (MMI) has gone even further, closing canteens, prohibiting children and requesting farmers to sign in at their affiliated marts.
Calf sales
Given the busy spring calving period, and the need to keep the calf trade moving, the cancellation of sales has concerned many farmers. GVM Group is to suspend all sales except calf sales until at least 28 March.
GVM chief executive PJ Buckley told the Irish Farmers Journal the decision was taken to protect mart-goers: “Many of our customers and staff are middle-aged to older people and they are most vulnerable.”
Gortatlea Mart in Kerry has announced it is closing and cancelling all scheduled sales but subsequently decided to open for a calf sale on Thursday (today). Marts that have cancelled sales this week include Birr, Roscrea, Nenagh and Thurles.
Raphoe livestock mart, Ballybofey and Stranorlar livestock mart, and Inishowen co-operative livestock are closed until further notice. Other marts are operating under strict restrictions, including a “drop and go” procedure in place at Cork Marts, where sellers remain in their vehicles and mart staff unload livestock.
Strict buyer pre-registering is in place and farmers have been advised that space in mart rings will be limited to allow for 2m of social distancing.
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