image expired

Commenting, Jill Hewitt, Chef Executive said, ‘Agricultural contractors have a dual role in this emergency to keep everyone protected, whilst providing necessary operations to farmers in the essential provision of food for the nation. Over 90% of farmers use a contractor and many will not be able to manage without their services in coming months, for key operations such as drilling, spraying, mobile feed mixing and even sheep shearing.’

The guidance emphasises the need to work in partnership with farmers to take all necessary precautions, whilst avoiding direct contact wherever possible.

Whilst many farmers can remain ‘home-working’, contractors will need to move about, particularly following the desperately wet autumn, and it will be vital to many farmers that they can still access contractor’s specialist services and labour – particularly if farm staff need time off. It will be critical to share resources and work together to get crops in the ground and maintain high standards of animal welfare.