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Vol 19 No 39, October 11, 2021
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Covid plan essential Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz
D
AIRY farmers have been told to make an on-farm plan in case themselves or one of their staff tests positive for covid-19. That plan had to be easily accessible and documented and communicated to all staff members, DairyNZ covid project manager Hamish Hodgson said in a webinar. This plan was crucial for the farmer to be ready for covid. He said he knew of one farmer organising campervans to be brought on-farm if they needed to be able to isolate people. DairyNZ Waikato regional leader Wilma Foster says she knew of some farmers who had switched their work rosters to fixed teams rather than rotating team members. This created two separate teams so if a member of one team got covid, there was still another team that could operate the farm because they were less likely to be close contacts. Farmers also had to consider backup staff. This could range from neighbours, family members or spouses or retired farmers. “Start having those conversations early. Let them know and get their agreement,” Foster said. She also suggested, if possible, that staff get designated to certain
tasks, such as tractor driving or assisting the AB technician or vets, to minimise contacts. DairyNZ had created templates on its website to help farmers get started. “Keep it practical, do it over a few days and don’t get too detailed,” she said. “If there was a covid case on-farm, what would you do, who would you contact and where would you find more information?”
If there was a covid case on-farm, what would you do, who would you contact and where would you find more information? Wilma Foster DairyNZ DOING THEIR BIT: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Monica Baxter, and Ministry for Primary Industry’s Erica Smith plant native shrubs on the Pomahaka River corridor. Photo: Natwick DairyNZ general manager of farm performance Sharon Morrell says while it is not illegal for farm employers to ask staff if they are vaccinated, how they ask is important because employers cannot imply they will treat staff differently depending on the answer. “They are not obligated to tell you if they choose not to. You can ask, but you can’t force the answer
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River project hits halfway mark Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz A THREE-YEAR project to plant 230,000 native trees and shrubs and build 100km of riparian fencing on Otago’s Pomahaka River, is officially
IT’S ALTOGETHER BETTER IN THE
halfway completed. The milestone for the Pomahaka Watercare Corridor Planting Project was marked with a function at the Leithen Picnic Area last week. The $3.7 million project between the Primary Growth
Fund, One Billion Trees Fund, 105 local farmers and the Pomahaka Water Care Group is designed to protect the Pomahaka River and its tributaries and offer employment opportunities postcovid-19.
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