Friday, March 29, 2024

Moves to get sales moving again

Neal Wallace
A group of stock agents is trying to establish operating guidelines to allow an early but limited resumption of sale yards and on-farm auctions. Still very much in the planning stages and not yet policy of the NZ Stock and Station Agents Association, the proposed operating protocols will apply once the covid-19 level four alert is eased and allow an early resumption of sale yards and farm auctions.
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Association chairman Steve Morrison, who is behind the initiative, says it aims to let weaner and dairy herd disposal sales to be held while also re-establishing market values, something missing from the market since the country went into lockdown.

It could also be used for beef and dairy sire auctions.

“Clearly, it is hard to gauge what covid-related constraints may be in place later on,” he says.

“Frankly, we are mostly focused in the nearer term on the likes of dairy clearing sales and perhaps run weaner sales and working on options to further enhance this channel option from both farmer and covid-19 risk avoidance or mitigation perspective.”

The pressure is on farmers who traditionally sell weaner calves, are selling dairy herds or need to quit stock they cannot carry over winter.

Morrison says as winter looms the lack of options to quit surplus stock is causing farmer and animal welfare issues.

Remaining selling systems are all suffering from the absence of auctions to determine market prices with online selling not taking off and private on-farm sales facing logistical limitations from adhering to social distancing rules.

Should the proposal be accepted by the industry and then the Government, successfully satisfying covid-19 restrictions could lead to the sale of other classes of stock that are deemed necessary.

Some of the restrictions being considered by the agents will limit attendance to a set number of stock handlers who would wear protective clothing, agents and buyers.

Venders will have follow sales by phone or live streams and onlookers will be banned.

Stock would be drafted and marked on-farm, all attendees would have to register and adhere to the 2m distance rule without any socialising.

All facilities contacted by multiple people would have to be disinfected before and after sales.

Morrison says such a system will require co-operation by stock firms and he proposes sales ideally be conducted by one auctioneering team, comprising an auctioneer, a spotter and a clerk. If teams were to change, the auctioneer area would need to be sanitised each time.

The draft operating procedures have been prepared with other experienced agents and they are seeking input from other stock firms before deciding whether to approach the Government.

“Aspects of the potential inclusions or features will vary by the involved company and yard but the group involved saw value in working towards developing an operating arrangement or standard that may be approved by Government.”

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