Marts given go-ahead to facilitate sale of animals

MARTS have been given the go-ahead to provide a limited range of services.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said they are to be allowed facilitate the sale of animals under strict protocols, but there will be no public auctions.

A week after they were closed under Covid-19 restrictions, Minister Creed said this morning that his department is to issue guidance to marts on a very limited range of essential services that comply with government guidelines and do not require people to assemble. These include measures to facilitate calf sales and the weighing of livestock, and online or brokerage services, and are subject to the approval of standard operating procedures by the department.

Minister Creed also announced that tor the next two weeks, routine departmental on-farm visits will not be taking place, unless required on a risk basis. Essential services, such as disease control or reactor removal will continue. This will be kept under review as the situation evolves.

Some inspections such as under the Young Farmer Scheme are being conducted by telephone.

Approvals will issue this week to applicants under the new Calf Investment Scheme. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the significant demand for this scheme, the minister confirmed that he has increased the scheme’s budget from the original €1.5 million to €4 million, to fully fund all eligible applications received.

The scheme supports investments for calf rearing and welfare facilities and some 2,500 farmers will be directly funded under the scheme.

Farming, fisheries, food and beverage production, and ancillary services, have been designated by the government as essential services. Employers, employees and the self-employed, including farmers, in the sector must carefully follow the guidance provided to protect each other and the community as a whole [https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/dfeb8f-list-of-essential-service-providers-under-new-public-health-guidelin/].

Added the minister: “I would appeal to farmers to maintain farm safety as a priority at this difficult time. Communities are looking out for each other, and any farmer who is experiencing difficulties should not hesitate to ask for help.”

 

ICOS statement

The ICOS has welcomed confirmation from the department that marts will be allowed to handle livestock trading in a limited way.

ICOS Livestock and Environment Executive Ray Doyle said that, under the terms of the new arrangements, each mart will be required to prepare an operating protocol which will be subject to approval by the Department of Agriculture.

He said the procedures which had been proposed by ICOS would typically include marts using their databases to match sellers with potential buyers according to the type, weight, breed of animals for sale, and ideally agreeing a price per kilo prior to a sale being finalised.

A delivery time to the mart would then also be agreed, including weighing into the Animal Identification and Movement system and the use of drop boxes for all relevant documentation.

Only mart staff would handle the animals. The buyer and seller would not have contact with each other, but each would be able to observe the weighing data and the buyer would be able to view the animals from a distance prior to finalising the sale which would be completed electronically.

Full sanitisation protocols will also be effected and no members of the public and no visitors will be permitted next nor near the mart premises at any time.