Written by Rachel Martin
NFU Scotland has called off all meetings and gatherings as Scotland ramps up measures against coronavirus (Covid-19).
In a blog on the NFUS website, the union said it had taken the “difficult decision” to temporarily ask the membership to not hold any meetings or gatherings until further notice.
In the update for members, NFUS president Andrew McCornick said: “This is not an easy step to take as Government guidelines are not at this level yet. However, this decision will allow us to take stock and behave responsibly for both our members and staff.”
It comes after the NFU announced it would postpone its food standards rally in London because of the virus.
The rally was planned to take place on March 25 and would have seen hundreds of farmers gather in London urging the Government to promise that future UK trade policy will not allow imports of food produced to standards that would be illegal here.
A decision on whether the union will proceed with plans to celebrate Scottish food and farming on May 23 is also under review.
“Regardless of whether that goes ahead, we will continue to prepare materials for the day that can be used in the future to share the fantastic story that we have to tell and want to share with Scottish consumers,” McCornick wrote.
“Ironically, this is probably the best time of year for us to be making this call as there will be an element of self-isolation going on on Scottish farms and crofts with the spring work of lambing, calving, ploughing and seeding all keeping folks heads down, making meetings less frequent.
“We, as a union and as individuals, have a duty of care for each other, and this cannot be lost in these unusual and exceptional circumstances.
What you can do
McCornick urges all members to look out for one another and keep an eye on the latest Government advice.
And he offers a reminder for those who need emotional, practical or financial support in times of need, our rural charity RSABI is there to support people in Scottish agriculture and can be contacted on: 0300-111-4166.
For businesses, the new Scottish Government helpline, operated by Scottish Enterprise, to supply tailored advice on coronavirus is: 0300-303-0660.
The virus has already started to impact UK agri-businesses. Some businesses are already understood to have cancelled all face-to-face meetings and international travel.
Retail giant Tesco is also understood to have told suppliers it is no longer holding site visits unless “absolutely necessary”.
This year’s Alltech ONE Ideas Conference will go digital for 2020. Typically, around 3,000 people from more than 70 countries attend the annual event in Lexington, Kentucky.
Macra na Feirme – the Irish equivalent of Young Farmers – has established a management group to deal with the impact of Covid-19 and has also called off all club and county meetings and events.
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