Mandatory Covid vaccines: Where major agribusinesses and farm bodies stand

From strict mandates to vocally supporting personal choice, this is where farming bodies and major agribusinesses stand on Covid-19 vaccines.

Debate about Covid-19 jabs in the agriculture industry has heated up as strict vaccine mandates are rolled out across parts of the sector while other major agribusinesses vocally support personal choice.

A special investigation by The Weekly Times reveals Australian agribusinesses and farming bodies’ stance on the issue varies greatly, with WA Farmers the only state farming body in the country to make Covid vaccines mandatory.

Other major agribusinesses have begun mandating the jab for some employees in their organisations, while others are not ruling out making the move.

WA Farmers chief executive Trevor Whittington said they made the jab mandatory to “lead by example as we are part of the food chain” and supported the move across the industry.

Food processor SPC already made headlines as the first company in Australia to mandate the vaccination for all staff.

NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said vaccination was a priority but didn’t say he supported mandating it. Picture: AAP

The National Farmers’ Federation’s recently updated Covid-19 workforce guide advises “ideally before any mandatory direction or decision is made the employer should talk to their employees and make reasonable efforts to reach a position which is agreeable to all”.

Chief executive Tony Mahar said the NFF was encouraging eligible farmers and workers to get vaccinated as a matter of priority.

“As employers, and like all businesses, farmers want the economy to return to normal and accordingly have an important role to play in encouraging and where appropriate facilitating vaccination for their workers who are eligible,” Mr Mahar said.

Here’s where Australian agribusinesses and farming bodies stand.

POLICIES IN PLACE

In addition to WA Farmers and SPC, some big players in the livestock industry have made the jab mandatory in parts of their business.

Beef giant Australian Country Choice said it supported mandatory vaccination in the meat processing industry as it “will be a key part of enabling efficient production”. The company has made it compulsory for any new employees.

While it’s currently not mandatory for existing staff, the company said the intention was that it would be “after balanced and further consultation”.

Australian Wool Exchange has implemented a policy that all employees in public-facing roles must be vaccinated.

Te Mania Angus director Lucy Gubbins said all staff and directors were vaccinated and would be “encouraging only vaccinated people to enter the property”, and that they believed it should be mandatory across the industry.

Midfield Group general manager David McKenna said the company would not force employees to get vaccinated but would follow the Victorian Government’s directions.

However, all visitors to site must be vaccinated and present a negative Covid test on entry.

Roger Fletcher says he didn’t have to make the jab mandatory because the uptake was so good. Picture: David Roma

AUSTRALIA’S BIG MEAT PROCESSORS

Roger Fletcher of meat processor and exporter Fletcher International Exports said his business “didn’t have to go mandatory”.

“We’ve had great work by all our employees and future employees will naturally be vaccinated, just the same as Q fever,” he said.

Fletcher International runs abattoirs at Dubbo in NSW and Albany in Western Australia. Its Dubbo plant came to a halt last month as the regional city was hit by a Covid-19 outbreak.

Teys Australia, one of Australia’s largest beef processors, will not be mandating vaccination as the decision is “personal and voluntary”, but is “fully supportive” of the rollout and provides paid time off work for employees to receive their jab.

Australia’s largest meat processor JBS Australia reported the company having “strong rates of vaccination”.

“We have as a company implemented across all of our sites processes to provide access to vaccination either on site or through the public health system and incentivised people to do so,” JBS Australia director John Berry said.

THOSE WHO HAVEN’T RULED OUT MANDATING THE VACCINE

In the horticulture industry, Australian almond heavyweight Select Harvests is offering fully vaccinated staff an additional day of annual leave and organising on-site vaccination hubs, but is “yet to land on a position” about mandatory vaccination.

Harry Lawson wants more leadership and direction on how farmers would make the jab mandatory. Picture: Chloe Smith

Harry Lawson of Lawsons Angus, which has operations and clients across the nation, said he would prefer if mandating the vaccine was directed by government policy.

“We need better leadership and direction as to how businesses and employees should incorporate this policy into our employment contracts,” Mr Lawson said.

Therefore, he said, the company would not be mandating it at this stage, but would do whatever they could to encourage vaccination.

“We are really keen to see the end of border closures, if a vaccine passport is the best way to achieve this then bring on the jab,” he said.

Elders said it would “continue to assess that position in light of the risk to health and safety”.

Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said the industry body was in the process of reviewing the threat of Covid on egg-farming businesses and recommendations from the process would “guide industry responses in the context of the national plan”.

SUPPORTERS FOR CHOICE

Agribusinesses supporting vaccination, but standing by it being an individual’s choice include agricultural giant Olam Australia and grain growers’ cooperative CBH Group.

“Olam strongly believes that employees, workplaces and operations will be safer if people choose to get vaccinated,” a spokesman said. “However, we respect the right of every employee to choose whether to receive a vaccination.”

CBH said “at this stage” it hadn’t made vaccination mandatory for employees, growers or contractors.

“We acknowledge that it is an individual’s responsibility to get vaccinated and strongly encourage all employees and community members to be vaccinated, however we respect their Individual choices,” a spokeswoman said.

VFF president Emma Germano said vaccination was an individual’s choice. Picture: Nicole Cleary

STATE FARMING BODIES

Victoria’s peak farming body also came to the same decision.

“We’re encouraging both staff and our members to get vaccinated, however it is an individual’s choice to decide for their own personal health,” Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano said.

Other state farming bodies including Queensland’s AgForce, NT Farmers and NSW Farmers all encouraged vaccination, however had not made it mandatory.

The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association was the only state farming body who would not provide any comment and Primary Producers SA chair Don Plowman said they did not have an overall policy due to the structure of the group.

NT Farmers chief executive Peter Burke said the majority of their staff were fully vaccinated.

“NT Farmers have been actively engaged in promoting to industry the need to get vaccinated quickly,” he said. “The sooner that we reach the 80 per cent vaccination target, the easier it will be for industry to access a desperately needed reliable workforce.”

NSW Farmers agreed with a spokesman saying vaccination was key to end lockdowns.

“Especially given the problems we’re seeing with harvest worker mobility,” he said.

UP TO THE GOVERNMENT

Australian Wool Innovation, a research, development and marketing organisation, and ASX-listed GrainCorp said they would follow state and federal government advice.

Industry body GrainGrowers and Australia’s largest stockfeed company Ridley both said they were encouraging staff to access vaccinations in-line with the government advice.

NO COMMENT

Meat and Livestock Australia, Horticulture Innovation Australia, Australian Pork, Queensland Sugar and Manildra Group said it was too early to comment.

While Bega, Saputo, Fonterra, Norco, Dairy Australia, Macquarie Group, Casella Family Brands, Hancock Agriculture, Regional Livestock Exchanges, Inghams and Costa Group were among the businesses who did not respond to questions.