NFU Scotland urges farmers and crofters to ensure Covid protocols are up to date as union moves AGMs online again
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Farmers and crofters are being asked to play their part in the nation’s response to the latest Covid threat.
The Scottish Government said it expects the new Omicron variant to lead to a "tsunami" of cases over the coming days and weeks.
The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is expected to announce a tightening of restrictions at Holyrood on Tuesday afternoon.
Now the farming union NFU Scotland says it will move all its current round of branch AGMs online and move the nine regional AGMs, scheduled for January 2022, to online meetings.
The union’s national AGM, conference and dinner, is scheduled to take place in Glasgow on February 10 and 11. Although planned as a hybrid event of face-to-face and online attendance, NFU Scotland says it will decide in early January if it will go ahead on that basis.
A summary of the Scottish Government’s sector-specific Covid guidance for farming, crofting and related agricultural businesses and activity is available at: www.ruralpayments.org/topics/customer-services/covid-19-updates
NFU Scotland chief executive Scott Walker said: “We encourage you strongly to revisit the Covid protocols that you have in place to ensure that you, your family and your farm stay safe.
“Think about what would happen if you or one of your key workers were unable to work due to Covid or had to self-isolate. Simple measures such as wearing masks can significantly reduce the chance of infection.
“As an organisation, we have taken the regrettable decision to move branch and regional AGMs online, which is the right thing to do. We know how much our members have enjoyed the opportunity in recent times to start meeting face-to-face but the disease situation has changed, and we have to respond.”
