Tuesday, 29 March 2022 12:55

Farmers seem to be coping with Omicron

Written by  Peter Burke
Neil Bateup Neil Bateup

Rural Support Trust chair Neil Bateup says it has had very few calls from farmers wanting help to deal with Covid.

He says the trust had geared itself up to be able to provide support for farmers. However, the phone lines have been largely silent and Bateup reckons it appears that farmers are managing their own situations on farm.

He believes the difference is that when the trust started gearing up, the Delta variant was around and isolation periods were 14 days. They were looking to move people off farm into managed isolation or quarantine facilities.

"The possibility of taking some or all staff off farm to MIQ for 14 days and potentially 28 days - if it spread within a family - could have caused major problems," Bateup told Rural News.

"But as time has gone on, the isolation periods have shortened, and with Omicron not being the same beast as Delta, most people seem able to manage trhough any outbreak on farm."

Bateup says he accepts that most farmers can work - even if they have Covid - or just take the odd day off just to relax and just do the important things. He says they can normally get other staff, family or neighbours to cover for them for a couple of days to make sure their businesses carry on.

According to Bateup, other rural service industries have also been affected with trucking companies down on staff and some of the meat works operating on shorter hours.

He believes the situation is being managed, but reckons farmers are lucky that the Omicron outbreak has not occurred at a crucial and pressured time - such as lambing or calving.

More like this

Covid's urban/rural divide

According to a new study from the University of Otago, there was a visible rural/urban divide in Covid-19 vaccination rates.

Covid inquiry to visit Northland

Better understanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the people of Northland, and the role communities played in the pandemic response, will be the focus of a visit from the Covid-19 Inquiry, says inquiry chair Professor Tony Blakely.

Reflecting a challenging period

Damien O'Connor admits his six years in office were incredibly challenging, with Covid, droughts, floods, storms, M. bovis and volcanic eruptions to name a few.

Editorial: Time for change

OPINION: With election day only a few days away and advance voting well underway, there appears to be a mood for change in rural and provincial New Zealand.

More pain yet!

China's slower than expected recovery from Covid-19 and an oversupply of Australian sheep meat is causing problems for NZ sheep farmers.

Featured

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

Editorial: Passage to India

OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

A different shade of blue for Norwood

Norwood and ARGO Tractors, the Italian manufacturer of Landini and McCormick tractors, have announced an agreement that gives Norwood exclusive…

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter