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With Level 5 measures coming into force on midnight Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture has directed that livestock marts must adjust their operations in accordance.
These directed measures are largely similar to those put in place in April and May, with sales rings to remain closed and marts may only facilitate online sales.
The measures
Marts must now put a drop-and-go policy in place for sellers. This means that farmers may deliver livestock to the mart by appointment and must then depart from the premises.
Where feasible, farmers should remain in their vehicle while on the mart premises and staff should unload livestock and take passports.
Marts must arrange that individual appointment times are allocated to buyers to view or collect livestock. Buyers are instructed to attend the mart on their own, without accompaniment.
Ongoing review
A mart wishing to operate from midnight on 21 October must submit a revised standard operating procedure to their regional veterinary office for approval as soon as possible.
The Department has said these measures are subject to ongoing review and may be amended as required to ensure compliance with Government policy on COVID-19.
Continued facilitation
IFA president Tim Cullinan has said the autumn trade is crucial and would be hugely disruptive if trade could not continue.
“The overriding objective for everybody must be to ensure the mart trade continues to be facilitated in a live auction system.
“The provision of viewing facilities for purchasers prior to the sale is important to allow the trade to function in a transparent way.”
Function as normal
The IFA has said some marts are seeking to have a very limited number of buyers at the ringside, and flexibilities with viewing times to reflect the larger sales in this period.
Cullinan continued: “Every effort should be made to facilitate trading conditions that are as normal as possible, once social distancing and other guidelines are followed fully.
“IFA is in regular contact with the Department and the minister to ensure the mart system can function as close to normal as is possible.”
National livestock chair Brendan Golden said it’s critical that farming has been recognised as essential work in Level 5, allowing farmers to go about their daily business.
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