Advice issued to NI’S farmers

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots and the Ulster Farmers’ Union have advised farmers to make plans to deal with possible infection of coronavirus in order to keep the family farm running.

Mr Poots said: “Family farms have many benefits with regards to social distancing but it also brings unique challenges. As farmers live where they work and work where they live, it is important to make plans as to how to deal with potential infection of Covid-19.”

Precautionary steps to reduce potential impacts on the farm include:

• Identify who you can ask to help and know what skills or knowledge they need to work on your farm.

• Write down the daily work plan to include what is happening on the farm.

• Provide operating instructions for all machinery and equipment, for example the milking parlour routine, the automatic systems in the hen broiler, the pig house; and don’t forget the things often taken for granted like checking the meal hasn’t bridged in the bin.

• Assess feed, fertiliser, oil, medicines, disinfectants and other critical inputs. Where stocks are low, replenish but don’t stockpile.

• Provide everyone with a list of emergency contacts.

CHURCH bells will ring out for a minute at noon tomorrow in a message of hope at a time of crisis.

Passionist priest Fr Gary Donegan said it came about after a member of the unionist community approached the Catholic Passionist Peace and Reconciliation office in Ardoyne.

Fr Donegan, director of the group, said the man told assistant director Brian Mckee of how he had been moved by hearing the bells of Holy Cross Church ring out on Christmas Day and asked if they could be rung more often “at a time when people need to know they are not alone”. “So we came up with the idea of church bells throughout Ireland ringing out a message of hope and solidarity at a time of so much stress and worry.”

The message has been sent out on Facebook and Twitter, and the post was seen by over 100,000 people by yesterday afternoon.

Fr Donegan said: “It must be stressed that the bell-ringing must be in line with Government advice, and that the initiative is for bell-ringing by one person.

“For the duration of the minute people of all faiths and none are invited to pause for thought and think of each other. It is also in support of our NHS and other services doing such heroic work.”