Companies have adopted techniques to prevent covid getting into plants, such as temperature testing staff and staggering meal breaks to reduce staff congregating in large numbers.
The country’s largest meat processors have plans to share processing capacity should a plant be forced to close because of covid.
The agreement stems back to last year’s lockdown but will roll over to this season and is aimed at preventing animal welfare issues over the peak period of lamb supply.
Companies have adopted techniques to prevent covid getting into plants, such as temperature testing staff, random antigen testing, widespread use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including surgical masks or face screens and staggering meal breaks to reduce staff congregating in large numbers.
Silver Fern Farms (SFF) operations manager Mark Leslie says the company is operating its North Island plants at Level 3 and South Island at Level 2.
Temperatures are taken as staff arrive at work and any with an elevated temperature are asked to go home and follow Ministry of Health procedures to ensure they do not have covid.
Leslie says SFF agreed to be part of the Government’s antigen test trial because results are readily available within 15 to 20 minutes.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) deputy director-general of agriculture and investment services Karen Adair says primary sector processors are following “robust safety precautions” and it is developing further covid guidance and management with sector groups.
Covid has been detected on a kiwifruit consignment in China and export licences have been suspended from two seafood premises after concerns were raised from an online audit by Chinese officials.
Adair says MPI is engaging with Chinese authorities to resolve these suspensions.
“Both Sanford and Sealord have addressed the findings from the live video audits and we are working constructively with Chinese authorities to lift the suspensions,” Adair said.
Alliance Group manufacturing manager Willie Wiese says the co-operative follows health protocols as agreed to with the Meat Industry Association and the MPI.
“This includes physical distancing, further increased cleaning and disinfection of processing areas, the use of personal protective equipment and closing our sites to non-essential people,” Wiese said.
“We are also encouraging our people to get vaccinated.
“Everyone on our leadership team is double vaccinated, we have risk profiles in place, and we have supported onsite vaccination initiatives across all plants.”
Wiese says the industry meets and speaks regularly and Alliance is willing to support other companies should a plant be impacted by covid.
“While we all hope the measures we have in place will prevent this from happening, we are ready to help each other out if necessary,” he said.
Anzco Food operations manager Darryl Tones says the processor has contingency plans and works closely with other processing companies on how cross-industry support could work if a site was impacted.
“If this did occur, industry collaboration will help us better support farmers and manage livestock flows,” Tones said.
Anzco follows industry-agreed protocols, including social distancing, additional personal protective equipment, allowing essential visitors only onsite and enhanced cleaning.
“In addition, Anzco is actively encouraging everyone across the business to get vaccinated, with around 80% having had at least their first vaccination,” he said.
A Fonterra spokesperson says having operations spread throughout the country gave it flexibility to manage most situations.
“We’ve had safety controls in place at our sites for some time now to protect our people and essential operations from covid-19,” the spokesperson said.
“These include essential workers only onsite and wearing of personal protective equipment such as masks.”
Zespri chief grower, industry and sustainability officer Carol Ward says the industry has a history of collaboration and innovation, which will aid any covid response.
It follows hygiene protocols and safety requirements such as physical distancing and additional hygiene measures.
As the final shipment of fruit leaves NZ this week, Ward says the industry is working together to further develop contingency plans and to consider additional changes to industry protocols that may be required.
Adair says Fonterra and meat processors such as Alliance were part of workplace pilots to introduce systems to achieve industry-wide vaccination.
