Farmers will be relieved to learn that marts in Kildare, Laois and Offaly are to remain open, despite a local lockdown being brought into place in all three counties.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that social distancing in marts will be extended to two metres and facemasks must be worn by everyone at the mart.

The lockdown will come into force from midnight Friday 7 August.

"Marts within the three counties are to implement extra risk mitigation measures over the next two weeks. Details of those extra measures are being finalised between Department of Agriculture officials and marts organisations at present," a spokesperson for the Minister for Agriculture told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Guidelines

Marts were not given essential status in the first lockdown, but since then, as restrictions were lifted, marts have reopened in line with Government guidelines.

Marts in those counties include Birr, Edenderry, Ballinakill, Kilcullen and Tullamore.

It is understood that farmers will need to abide by the Government lockdown, but will still be deemed as essential workers and be able to travel to mind livestock, as with the first lockdown.

The announcement of a local lockdown in the three counties was made after a rise in cases - half of all reported cases in the past week were linked to those three counties.

Meat factories

There has been specific concern over outbreaks in four processing plants in those counties, including Kildare Chilling, Carrolls Cuisine, O’Brien’s Fine Foods and Irish Dog Foods.

Some 86 workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in O’Brien’s Fine Foods. It’s unknown how many workers tested positive in Kildare Chilling, but the figure is understood to be significant.

Kildare Chilling sent a text to farmer suppliers this week saying that it was not quoting for livestock and has not confirmed if it will be reopening next week.

Measures

As of midnight Thursday 6 August, there have been 98 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 26,470 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland.

An Taoiseach Michéal Martin said that everyone in those three counties should restrict their movements to their own counties and those who can work from home should do so.

Sporting events have been cancelled and restaurants have been told they should close for the next two weeks.

An Taoiseach also said that any business that should be closed over COVID-19 concerns would be closed until it had been cleared to reopen by the HSE.

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