24 March 2020
Essential information for ALL farmers around COVID-19
You must register as an essential business
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/covid-19-essential-primary-sector-service-registration/
MPI have made it clear that all food and beverage producers and processors, and their supply chains, are deemed to be essential services. However, just because you are a farmer, doesn’t mean that you automatically become an essential service or business. Our current understanding is that ALL farm businesses must register, individually, as essential businesses. The details of how to do this (it will be an on-line process) are still being worked out, and should be notified within the next couple of days.
Protecting workers and the public
The government is very clear that the key aim for all New Zealanders right now must be to stop the spread of the virus in order to save, potentially, many thousands of lives. Protecting the health of your workers and the public is essential. Therefore, if you register as an essential business, you will have to adapt the way your business and staff operate.
You must be able to show:
1. How are you ensuring that workers and others at work are observing social distancing to and from work, during work and during rest breaks?
2. What personal hygiene steps have you put in place for workers to reduce the likelihood of virus spread at work?
3. What existing, or additional personal protective equipment could you introduce that
would reduce the likelihood of virus spread at work?
4. What steps are you taking to limit access to your plants apart from essential workers?
5. How are you isolating staff, or parts of your processing plants, so that virus spread would be contained should it occur?
6. What arrangements have you put in place for staff to report any illness and remove themselves from work?
7. What arrangement have you put in place for staff to report any suspected exposure to COVID-19?
8. What actions would you take should a staff member be suspected of or confirmed as having COVID-19?
9. How do you ensure that staff at particular risk of COVID-19 identify themselves and are isolated from work?
10. How will you ensure that your workers observe ‘stay at home’ rules at the conclusion
of each working day?
These questions will be part of the MPI registration process - if you cannot address them satisfactorily, you will not be able to remain open for business.
Non-essential staff members must stay at home.
FAR will be working with other sector groups to look at supporting your businesses to address these questions. Please contact far@far.org.nz if you have any specific queries and we will do our best to find the answers for you.
FAR will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 coronavirus situation and its potential impact on the arable industry. Updated information will be posted on our website and included in our FAR Weekly e-newsletter (subscribe here).
Alison Stewart
CEO
Foundation for Arable Research
ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Sectors
Entities providing essential services (including their supply chains)
Accommodation
Accommodation services for essential workers and people who need to be isolated/quarantined
Border
Customs New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries
Building and construction
Building and construction related to essential services, critical infrastructure, or immediately needed to maintain human health and safety at home/work
Courts, tribunals and the justice system
Courts of New Zealand and tribunals
Critical Crown entities (e.g. Electoral Commission)
Education
At level 3 only:
Schools and educational facilities (e.g. ECE centres)
Fast-moving consumer goods
Businesses involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods (but not takeaway shops)
Financial services
Banks, insurers and other financial institutions
Health
Hospitals, primary care clinics, pharmacies, medical laboratories, care facilities
Ambulance services
Mortuary services
Local and national government
Any entity involved in COVID-19 response or that has civil defence/emergency management functions
Key public services
Primary industries,
including food and beverage production and processing
Packaging, production and processing of food and beverage products
Food safety and verification, inspection or associated laboratory services, food safety and biosecurity functions
Veterinary and animal health/welfare services
Public safety and national security
Emergency services
Security and intelligence services
Justice system
Public safety and national security roles
Science
Any entity (including research organisations) involved in COVID-19 response, hazard monitoring, resilience, diagnostics for essential services
Social services
Welfare and social services, including NGOs, which meet immediate needs (further guidance will be provided)
Transport and logistics
Transport services
New Zealand Post and courier services
Any small passenger service vehicle driver – including taxis and ride-share services
Utilities and communications, including supply chains
Electricity, gas, water, waste, fuel, telecommunication services, internet providers and media