Coronavirus: 73 contract COVID-19 after outbreak on Herefordshire farm

[GeorgeC1]

Coronavirus: 73 contract COVID-19 after outbreak on Herefordshire farm

Workers at AS Green & Co have been asked to isolate on the farm and are being treated as "one extended bubble".

news.sky.com

Almost like making pickers sharing caravans in the middle of a pandemic wasn't a great idea.

 

[Lowland1]

This is on a farm of a friend of mine . Someone who has built a substantial business from very little by working very hard. Unlike a lot of people he has had very little option but to continue with his business not everyone or their staff can stay home.

 

[GeorgeC1]

This is on a farm of a friend of mine . Someone who has built a substantial business from very little by working very hard. Unlike a lot of people he has had very little option but to continue with his business not everyone or their staff can stay home.

hence why the govt should've stepped in with actual measures instead of skin deep PR stunts and slogans.

 

[Werzle]

Rumour it was linked to a delivery driver to and from a local supermarket

 

[GeorgeC1]

Rumour it was linked to a delivery driver to and from a local supermarket

Wouldn't surprise me, literally no covid measures in place in the distribution centres

 

[Princess Pooper]

Coronavirus: 73 contract COVID-19 after outbreak on Herefordshire farm

Workers at AS Green & Co have been asked to isolate on the farm and are being treated as "one extended bubble".

news.sky.com

Almost like making pickers sharing caravans in the middle of a pandemic wasn't a great idea.

How do you expect a business to accommodate 200 seasonal workers for a few months each year to pick beans? What do you suggest they do instead?

Most growers had an initial quarantine period to check workforce was clear when they came.

 

[Danllan]

How do you expect a business to accommodate 200 seasonal workers for a few months each year to pick beans? What do you suggest they do instead?...

He doesn't and can't, he's just latching on to it to have a dig at the Government.

 

[Raider112]

Wouldn't surprise me, literally no covid measures in place in the distribution centres

You may be right, they probably thought they were safe as the vegans told us that the big outbreaks in the food industry was due to it being passed from animals when the abattoirs were getting it.

 

[7610 super q]

How do you expect a business to accommodate 200 seasonal workers for a few months each year to pick beans? What do you suggest they do instead?

Most growers had an initial quarantine period to check workforce was clear when they came.

Maybe big agribusiness employing large numbers of foreign staff to supply cheap food to supermarkets is a sh!te idea that needs to be kicked into touch.

 

[Lowland1]

Maybe big agribusiness employing large numbers of foreign staff to supply cheap food to supermarkets is a sh!te idea that needs to be kicked into touch.

The problem is this farm is not big agribusiness just a husband and wife who have worked very hard to get on from a small base. If the locals were prepared to get off their backsides then there would be no need for foreigners.

 

[Fossil]

The problem is this farm is not big agribusiness just a husband and wife who have worked very hard to get on from a small base. If the locals were prepared to get off their backsides then there would be no need for foreigners.

This “if the locals were prepared to get off their arses” business is irritating. In a world where people have to pay rent or a mortgage, stay in one place because their kid is in school and wife has a job, why would anyone Other than students want seasonal work? Is the problem really the specialisation of businesses that means they can’t offer permanent employment?

 

[Muddyroads]

This “if the locals were prepared to get off their arses” business is irritating. In a world where people have to pay rent or a mortgage, stay in one place because their kid is in school and wife has a job, why would anyone Other than students want seasonal work? Is the problem really the specialisation of businesses that means they can’t offer permanent employment?

How can “seasonal workers“ be offered “permanent employment“?

 

[Fossil]

How can “seasonal workers“ be offered “permanent employment“?

My point exactly

 

[kiwi pom]

The problem is this farm is not big agribusiness just a husband and wife who have worked very hard to get on from a small base. If the locals were prepared to get off their backsides then there would be no need for foreigners.

I kind of agree but where are you getting these locals from? The good ones are already working or busy looking after children while their partner works and a minimum wage job for a few months a year doesn't help pay the bills for the rest of the year.
Those claiming benefit probably don't want the hassle of stopping and starting the process (I don't know what it entails) for a job that may see them worse off once childcare etc is taken into account.
Perhaps being allowed to claim benefit and being able to work a temp job would help everybody?

 

[Devil's advocate]

This “if the locals were prepared to get off their arses” business is irritating. In a world where people have to pay rent or a mortgage, stay in one place because their kid is in school and wife has a job, why would anyone Other than students want seasonal work? Is the problem really the specialisation of businesses that means they can’t offer permanent employment?

Seasonal manual work has been a fact of life for 100's of years.

It can be full time, large veg growers need some full time staff or it means travelling around the country to follow the seasons different harvests. I'd love it & work full time in field veg. We can assume most of them are young and will be fine after their self quaranteen.

Gypsies before they went full time on other activities used to provide this service.

 

[Devil's advocate]

I kind of agree but where are you getting these locals from? The good ones are already working or busy looking after children while their partner works and a minimum wage job for a few months a year doesn't help pay the bills for the rest of the year.
Those claiming benefit probably don't want the hassle of stopping and starting the process (I don't know what it entails) for a job that may see them worse off once childcare etc is taken into account.
Perhaps being allowed to claim benefit and being able to work a temp job would help everybody?

No it would not, a total slap in the face for those who harvest their own crops.

Everyone should be paid a decent wage. The problem is fruit & veg are too cheap. If the poor cannot afford fruit & veg they should get fruit & veg coupons. Barnsley council already has such a scheme.

 

[Devil's advocate]

You may be right, they probably thought they were safe as the vegans told us that the big outbreaks in the food industry was due to it being passed from animals when the abattoirs were getting it.

No they told us that fridges keep the virus infectious for longer. Veg farms have large fridges.

I predicted this to happen & wholesalers, distrubtion centres etc. Can't be helped & in this case everyone appears to be doing the right thing.

I've been told by someone in the industry a meat hygeine inspector was a super spreader so why abbotoirs were hit badly.

Bus depot's & post offices have had a rougth time locally.

 

[Honest john]

Anyone thinking how are this family are to get there crops in now. Going to have to get a gang master on the phone. Its a worry.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Anyone thinking how are this family are to get there crops in now. Going to have to get a gang master on the phone. Its a worry.

We discussed this at work earlier, part felt sorry for grower & part worried if it affects availbilty of produce in Sheffield wholesale market tomorrow.

I think John they are shut down no in or out.

It sounds like it is beans they are harvesting so wages the biggest factor, beans not that expensive to grow.

 

[Pilatus]

Anyone thinking how are this family are to get there crops in now. Going to have to get a gang master on the phone. Its a worry.

A nightmare scenario. As the business owners must feel they are partly responsible for the health of the pickers.What with bad publicity for the business , presumably a major loss of income enough to give one a nervous breakdown. I feel sorry for the pickers who are working hard to earn a living , more so than many lazy members of society, yet they get this scenario happen to them, I do hope none of them get the Covid 19 really badly. No justice in this world.
Are their any farm business insurance policies that will cover loss of crop due to being unable to harvest it because of government regulations or something to that effect, sadly I fear not, as these must be uncharted situation. Not good.