Southern farmers are taking a national lockdown “in our stride” and “getting on with it”.
New Zealand entered lockdown on Wednesday last week due to a case of community transmission in Auckland of the Delta variant of Covid-19.
Federated Farmers Otago president Mark Patterson, of Lawrence, said this lockdown had fallen at a better time for farmers than the first nationwide Level 4 lockdown from March to May last year, when Southern farmers faced a shortage of feed and difficulty getting stock to meatworks.
Now farmers were calving and preparing for lambing, so the pressures were reduced during this lockdown.
“At this stage, we are all taking it in our stride.”
Saleyard closures would be a minor inconvenience but stock numbers were low at this time of year.
“Rural servicing firms has been excellent - they’ve got their processes in place - they’ve been clear in their communications and offering efficient services.”
Federated Farmers Southland president Chris Dillon, of Northern Southland near Balfour, said farmers were accepting lockdown restrictions and “getting on with it”.
On some farms, family had returned home for lockdown and were helping fill a labour shortage.
However, some of those in the bubble were young children and needed to be looked after by a family member who would have otherwise been working on the farm.
“It’s another challenge.”
