That includes businesses that provided essential goods and services during alert level four, forestry including harvesting, wood processing and forestry sales and exports, floriculture including bulb and seed growing, harvesting, processing and sales and exports, wool and fibre industries including handling, shearing, scouring and sales and exports and farmgate and cellar door sales for delivery or contactless pick up only.
Businesses providing support services to the primary sector can operate at alert level three if they can operate safely.
They include farriers, fencers, farm advisers, pest management operators, farm property sales agents, agricultural supply stores – for delivery or contactless pick up only, companies involved in routine farm plant and gear maintenance and those involved in relocation to new farm properties.
For a full list of types of support services that can operate go to the MPI website.
Stock sales and wool auctions are permitted but the public must not attend. Where possible they should be run online.
Business owners should also seek advice from key sector groups such as DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb, Horticulture NZ, their co-ops and Federated Farmers regarding business continuity, animal welfare and labour needs.
