Farmers divided over “no jab, no tip” policy at CBH’s network of grain bins at harvest

A prominent WA farmer wants CBH to adopt a “no jab, no tip” policy across giant network of receival bins at harvest, but the State’s two peak farm advocacy groups say they would not support the proposal. Peter Boyle, who farms at York and is the CBH bin representative for his area, the State’s ninth largest receival bin of some 200 across WA, has proposed the idea that grain bins should not accept deliveries from unvaccinated drivers. He argues that if a bin was forced to close because of a COVID-19 outbreak, it could cause farmers’ harvests to grind to a halt. Mr Boyle hopes most of WA’s 3700 grain farming businesses will back the idea, because of the “chaos” that would result should bins be forced to close for several weeks. With a record bumper 20 million tonne harvest forecast, problems would be exacerbated if this did occur. Since airing his idea on ABC Countryhour on Thursday, Mr Boyle said had been overwhelmed with support. “Two people contacted me and said I was a bloody idiot, but more than a hundred have said it’s a great idea,” Mr Boyle said. Mr Boyle said he was told by CBH it was up to the farmers to advise if they wanted this introduced. He plans to discuss the idea further at a local bin meeting late in September, after which he hoped further steps could be taken to bring it to fruition. Pastoralist and Graziers Association grains section president Gary McGill said his organisation would not support the policy. “I consider it to be a far reaching punitive policy — I classify this as blackmail. I feel strongly about it and so do all my colleagues whom I have spoken to,” he said. “To have a policy where a grain farmer or his employees or a grain contractor are prevented from delivering his grain to a CBH site if unable to prove they have been vaccinated is a going too far and is not necessary.” WA Farmers president John Hassell said his group did not support a “heavy-handed” approach. However, he said growers should do all they can to make deliveries as contactless as possible. A CBH Group spokesman said CBH was not in a position to make vaccines mandatory for employees, growers and contractors. “We ... encourage all employees and community members to be vaccinated, however we respect their right if they choose not to be vaccinated,” he said. “We appreciate that this is a good conversation to have, and acknowledged the impact a COVID-19 case could have on disrupting harvest. “As a result, we are again implementing COVID-19 protocols at all our sites to ensure the safety of employees, growers, contractors and transporters. “This includes making the grain delivery process as contact free as possible by eliminating or reducing steps that require growers or transporters to leave their truck and enter a sample shed or weighbridge.”