FARMERS are said to be ‘concerned’ about the potential impact Covid-19 could have on the continuance of meat processing here. This week local meat plant workers expressed concern for their health after it emerged that a number of staff had tested positive for Covid-19. The Herald was told that almost a dozen staff at Omagh Meats tested positive for Covid-19 within the past week. Claims have been made that workers there are “terrified for their very lives” at this time.
There have been calls for increased Covid-19 testing for processing plant workers. Local Sinn Fein councillors yesterday (Tuesday) called on Foyle Food Group Limited, the parent company of Omagh Meats, to “implement or improve” their health and safety guidelines for the sake
of workers and their families after workers reportedly expressed concerns.
Further reports claim that cases have been recorded among workers at Linden Foods based in Dungannon. Trade union Unite is reportedly aware of seven cases in Linden Foods, believed to have been confirmed over several weeks. Farmer and Brookeborough councillor Sheamus Greene, pictured right, said he believed increased testing could help. “At the end of the day they are frontline workers as well. At the minute it is crucial to keep the food industry up and running and anything that can be done to make this happen should be enforced. In the airports they are talking about checks to take peoples temperature, maybe something like that could be introduced for workers when they would be going on shift. Anything that could help should be in place.”
Meat processing plants have operated with strict guidelines in place for farmers since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. Farmers leaving cattle in for slaughter were encouraged to offload their animals and leave the factory yard as swiftly as possible. Despite stringent restrictions farmers remain thankful that meat processors continued to operate as they are a crucial link in the food supply chain. Their role allows farmers to move cattle into the supply chain and in doing so reinvigorates the farm’s essential cash flow cycle.
Fermanagh farmers commonly supply livestock to processing plants in Omagh, Dungannon and further afield. This week Cllr Greene spoke about how farmers were feeling about the latest Covid headlines. “I was talking to a few farmers yesterday and they were definitely concerned about what they would do if anything did happen these meat processing factories. Cattle have to be moved on to the factory before they come to a certain age so if there is a disruption in this it will have a real knock on affect to the industry.”
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