The Mart Managers of Ireland (MMI) organisation has been in intensive talks with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to discuss the possibility of holding auctions when health restrictions are to readdressed in May.
The mart managers’ representative organisation outlined that discussions have been ongoing over the past two weeks regarding how matters shape up on Tuesday, May 5.
“We are delighted to see some progress being made and will work very hard over the next two weeks to reach a safe workable agreement with our friends in the Department of Agriculture who have been very helpful,” MMI chairperson Eimear McGuinness said.
In the discussions, the mart managers’ association outlined a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) aimed at meeting two key objectives, namely: to ensure that public health is protected; and to ensure that the food supply chain is not disrupted.
The SOP focuses on essential sales only, meaning a prioritising of stock that the food supply chain requires, including prime stock, cull animals and stores.
Measures have been drawn up for buyers and sellers separately as part of the SOP, the MII notes.
- Only buyers will be permitted onto mart premises;
- Buyers must be pre-registered to attend the mart and declare they are healthy and not in known contact with anyone who has Covid-19 symptoms;
- No buyers permitted who are over 70 years old;
- No buyers permitted who have an underlying health condition;
- Only one family member permitted;
- The mart will keep a log of Buyers who attend each sale and this will include name, address, and contact number;
- Buyers must strictly adhere to social distancing measures: it is recommended that rings and galleries be marked out to ensure a minimum 2metres spacing between buyers;
- The number of buyers will be restricted to a maximum of 25 if the ring size permits;
- Buyers must use of gloves and hand sanitisation provided;
- Buyers to enter office individually or at a maximum of two at a time if office suitably large enough; and
- Buyers must leave the mart as soon as business concluded and use hand sanitisation on exit.
Meanwhile, procedures to ensure the adherence of social distancing are also set out for the removal of stock after the auction, while strict staff protocols are included in the overall SOP.
- As numbers of stock will be limited, Sellers must pre-book stock with the mart and provide a contact number;
- Sellers must remain in their vehicles on arrival and hand paperwork through window to mart staff. They must not take paperwork to office or enter the mart premises at any time for any reason;
- Sellers must leave the mart yard as soon as stock are off-loaded;
- All stock will be sold conditionally and sellers will be contacted shortly after the point of sale with prices;
- Cheques will not be available for collection. All cheques will be posted;
- Sellers who do not sell must let the mart know when they will return to collect stock.
Finally, general measures conclude the SOP, with canteen facilities set to remain closed, communal area seating to be removed and a moratorium on third-party traders or stalls at this time.