Regional Livestock Exchange: Covid ban on market reporters at some saleyards
Livestock producers won’t know what happens at major sales during lockdown, with a ban on market reporters at some yards. Find out which reports will be missing.
Eastern states producers will be unable to access independent reports from key centres this week with the Regional Livestock Exchange banning market reporters from attending.
While some saleyards consider market reporters as essential staff, National Livestock Reporting Service staff will not be able to attend RLX markets in person after its management deemed they were not part of the select group allowed to attend sales under lockdown.
The reporters usually give updates from RLX centres including Wodonga’s cattle sales on Tuesday and Wednesday, Ballarat’s cattle sale on Monday and sheep sale on Tuesday, and Mortlake’s prime cattle sale each Tuesday.
The MLA has not banned market reporters from attending sales.
A spokesman for RLX said the sales would continue though the Victorian lockdown but with limited access, and NLRS reporters would not be permitted to attend.
In a statement, RLX said it was currently implementing stage one restrictions at its Victorian sites during the seven-day COVID-19 lockdown.
“The restrictions are in line with both industry and government advice and are being enacted to prioritise the health of all staff, users and visitors to the site,” the statement said.
“Under Stage One restrictions, media including MLA’s NLRS, vendors and the general public will not have access to RLX selling facilities in Victoria.”
MLA market reporters are being advised to report on the RLX sales by watching them online through Stocklive, which they said was the “same approach which has been used during previous periods of lockdown”.
Meanwhile Bendigo saleyards, operated by the City of Bendigo, has implemented its own lockdown protocols with similar restrictions on visitors.
It will, however, allow NLRS reporters to attend with Bendigo saleyard manager Andrew McCulloch telling The Weekly Times that NLRS saleyard reporters were considered “essential personnel”.
Vendors are only permitted to access the yards to deliver stock, but a small number of store buyers will be permitted with pre-registration and tickets allocated. Masks must be worn in the yards if possible.