Earlier this week, it was confirmed farmers would be able to continue feeding Victorians and delivering the highest quality food and fibre under the state's new COVID-19 restrictions.
This is a common sense decision that allows agriculture to carry-on with its operations relatively unscathed, and allow our critical supply chains to be maintained.
It is now up to us - as farmers - to repay the trust being placed in our industry to continue to operate by ensuring we all implement the necessary steps to help keep our industry open and protected as much as possible.
We all need to be extra vigilant as the coronavirus continues to spread into regional Victoria by planning and following our COVID-19 action plans.
This is critical to keeping our industry and agricultural supply chains open.
Measures such as wearing face masks or visors; stopping communal gatherings; installing screens and curtains; physical distancing; cleaning and disinfection measures; using sanitisers; and minismising the number of non-essential people coming on to your farm will help to reduce the risks we face from this pandemic.
I also encourage all Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) members to utilise the resources and advice our team has to offer to ensure your farm is COVID-19 safe. More information is available from the VFF on 1300 882 833.
Agriculture is resilient and reliable.
Just as in March this year, when our industry rose to the initial challenges COVID-19 presented, I have no doubt that - as a farming community - we will once again rise to the latest challenges and thrive.
