As farming is usually an isolated profession the risk of catching Covid-19 is minimal, but that doesn't mean it's not worth preparing for, says Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard.
In particular, the rural community has expressed concern at the Government's announcement that people testing positive for community transmission would have to go into a managed facility.
"It's one of the items we're raising with officials at the moment," Hoggard told The Country's Rowena Duncum.
While leaving a busy farm in the middle of calving or lambing season might not be the most practical step, the consequences of staying on could be worse, said Hoggard, who related on a personal level.
"You may not want to leave the farm but you may not have a choice if you do get it [Covid-19] bad."
"If I came down with Covid I'd have to go somewhere else. I've got an immunocompromised child so there's no way in hell I'd want to be anywhere near her and potentially pass it on."
Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard. Photo / Supplied
Common sense and an individual approach to each farmer's situation would help, as well as having a plan, Hoggard said.
"If you do fall ill on-farm badly, what are your options for keeping the farm running, [that's] something people need to think about."
Another issue Federated Farmers was concerned about was changes to tenancy law during lockdown, Hoggard said.
Last time New Zealand went into lockdown, changes passed through the Covid-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Amendment Act, placed general restrictions on all landlords, and this had left some farmers without employee accommodation during Moving Day.
"People weren't allowed to be moved out of accommodation and last time it fell over during Moving Day for farms ... so I want to make sure there's an exemption for service tenancies."
Hoggard was also keen that independent grocers, butchers and bakeries stayed open during any potential lockdown.
Federated Farmers released a statement saying these food retailers could observe distancing and hygiene rules as well as supermarkets, and suggested that having them open would ease queues experienced at the bigger stores.
"This is for fresh food. We need to keep supply chains moving, from the paddock to the plate, not paddock to the dump, as happened last lockdown," said Hoggard in the statement.
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There Feds president also agreed with concerns that being put in a managed isolation facility may keep people from being tested.
Hoggard said he thought this was a "real risk," especially if there was no compensation. He likened the situation to farmers battling the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.
"That's why we have compensation, so that people do the right thing and if they think something's wrong with their livestock they put their hand up and it gets tested and they know if their animals are culled because of it, there will be compensation."
"It's the same sort of principle there. People have got to know that if they do the right thing and put their hand up, they're not going to lose their business over it."
Also in today's interview: Hoggard had concerns with the government's freshwater reforms, especially how they would affect winter grazing and fencing off Clarence River, a large part of which is within the boundaries of Molesworth Station.
