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Coronavirus crisis: MacTiernan dispels agriculture uncertainties amid COVID-19 outbreak

Zach RelphCountryman
WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan.
Camera IconWA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan. Credit: Michael Wilson/The West Australian

WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan has confirmed the State’s farming workforce will be exempt from the new border measures enforced yesterday to combat coronavirus.

Ms MacTiernan took to social media this afternoon to dispel uncertainties surrounding the State Government and Federal Government’s measures enforced amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conceding there was “a long way to go in this crisis”, Ms MacTiernan said agricultural workers would not be impeded by the strict border measures implemented yesterday.

“People who are required to travel to WA to work in agriculture or primary industries are exempt from the self-isolation requirement, as they perform an essential service for our State,” she said.

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“All freight movements have also been exempted — which means there are no impacts on agricultural inputs or machinery imports.

“The exemptions also apply to transport providers, like truck drivers — and there are no additional requirements in place for livestock movements, beyond usual biosecurity protocols.”

Ms MacTiernan also said the State Government was focused on keeping processors open.

“We want to ensure our agricultural processing facilities, like abattoirs, can continue to operate throughout this time,” she said.

“(DPIRD) is meeting with agricultural processors and health officials today work through these business continuity issues in case a facility is impacted by COVID-19.”

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