Livestock Markets may be closed from next week

Zippy768

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dorset/Wilts
What would be the sense in closing Markets? How many people actually hang around the market any amount of time?

Science has shown that one is far more likely to catch from a close friend or relative than in a public gathering. But I suppose the buyers won't want to stand too far apart or else they wont be able to divvy up the cattle very well!!

We ventured out today for some errands and shopping and there was plenty enough people about. Imo if people were told they couldn't go to work, they would enjoy a few days out nonetheless.

What I did notice is there is Jack sh!t all meat in the supermarkets! Had to visit 3 shops just to get mince for my burritos tonight, even then I had the last pack ?
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
defra, from time to time, have had a moan about markets, and how they think there time is gone, red tractor has dreamed up rules to stop prime mkts, but nothing has come off it. S/mkts would love to shut them down, as it would give them price control, and that would definitely be seriously bad for us. On the other hand, we are in a place, where we haven't been before, and panic regulations are happening, with little concern about long term effect. I must admit, I don't wish for this on any guv, whatever they do, is wrong, for 1/2 the population. Perhaps all we can do is wait, and hope, that common sense prevails ! But, if things carry on getting worse, I can see them being closed, and I would hope auctioneers are getting a serious private treaty list going. The farmers that I really feel for, are those with dispersals booked, and, there are quite a lot of them, in the pipe line. For us, we took the pressure, no's wise, off at Exeter yesterday, so, while we do have more stock to sell, we can hold them.
 

puppet

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
sw scotland
What would be the sense in closing Markets? How many people actually hang around the market any amount of time?

Science has shown that one is far more likely to catch from a close friend or relative than in a public gathering. But I suppose the buyers won't want to stand too far apart or else they wont be able to divvy up the cattle very well!!
Market here is like an old folks day out. Lucky if half are buying or selling but along for a chat which in normal times is great to see and helps the cafe.
 
Location
Devon
Your use of "may not" and "could" suggests to me that it is 100% gossip, although that's not to say that it might come to pass.

Well no one knew today what will happen come next week but it certainly wasn't gossip and there is certainly a lot of discussions going on behind closed doors on the issue of if or how livestock markets can continue to open/ or how they operate if they stay open but the mood was very much that any markets after the end of next week may well not be allowed to happen.

And NO one was happy about that happening.
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Is there a risk markets will be caught up in any limitation on mass gatherings of people?
How many/what proportion markets have over 500 people present on a day?
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
Is there a risk markets will be caught up in any limitation on mass gatherings of people?
How many/what proportion markets have over 500 people present on a day?

When you are placed in the last quarter of a sale when most other vendors and lunch attendees have been and gone you realise just how few buyers there actually are round the ring on sale day.

If the will and sense is there then the marts could continue to operate perfectly well on a sell and go system.
 

Agrivator

Member
I think the extreme tedium of hanging around at auction marts is likely to suppress your immune system and is best avoided even in the absence of Coronavirus.

But if you drop stock and go, don't forget to contact the Office and instruct them to give £??/head or £??/lot as a bit of luck to whomsoever buys your stock. Otherwise, most of the buyers will be a bit miffed, and justifiably so. :mad:
 

Pennine Ploughing

Member
Mixed Farmer
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Image may contain: one or more people and outdoor
Harrison & Hetherington
·
We can confirm that all weekly and regular sales & collections of primestock also sales of store & breeding stock across all H&H auction centres will carry on as scheduled until further notice.
We would however, prefer if only Vendors, Purchasers and Hauliers carrying out business be allowed to enter the mart premises and therefore NO Visitors or Children.
We would also request that all persons attending sales, regular use the hand washing and hand sanitation facilities provided.
We have followed and adhered to all Government and Medical Advice and under those guidelines there is no reason for us to cancel or postpone sales at this time.
We are constantly monitoring BBC and Government websites to keep updated with any changes in advice and we will act accordingly if required so please be aware that arrangements may change at short notice.
HOWEVER
We would ask people, who have experienced any symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, or a dry cough not to attend any sales, as well as anyone who has visited a high risk area abroad in the past 14 days or has come into contact with a positive Coronavirus (Covid-19) case.
We advise anyone who is considered to be in the ‘at risk’ category, i.e. the elderly, and anyone with pre-existing or underlying health conditions not to attend sales.
If you can answer yes to any of the 3 questions below, please DO NOT attend sales.
HAVE YOU
• EXPERIENCED ANY SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS?
• COME INTO CONTACT WITH A POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS (COVID -19) CASE?
• VISITED A HIGH-RISK AREA ABROAD DURING THE PREVIOUS 14 DAYS?
If you are attending sales, you do so at your own risk, and we would expect strict adherence to the hand washing and sanitising guidelines.
We are taking every possible precaution to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.
Harrison & Hetherington Ltd
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.8%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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