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By Alice McFarlane

COVID-19

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Farmers are reaching out to their agriculture retailers for the products they need to put in this year’s crop.

Nutrien Ag Solutions’ agronomy services manager for northeast Saskatchewan Lyle Cowell said whether producers visit ag offices or have supplies delivered to their farms, strict protocols will be in place.

“We’re taking every precaution possible to ensure safety to both staff and customers,” Cowell told farmnewsNOW. “We have to continue to prepare ourselves for the spring season and it involves a little bit more precaution this year. But I think we’re well enough ahead of things to be able to deal with it at this point.”

Cowell said it requires a good strategy.

“I don’t think we’re too different than any other business in agriculture that’s implemented policies and a plan to minimize contact with other people and to just to make sure that we’re doing the essentials to be as safe as possible,” he said.

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Through this process, Cowell said they have to consider the safety of both the farmer customer and staff and reduce the risk of being exposed to the virus.

“There would be a risk to business for our people and farmers. We have to follow the same advice being given including sanitation, handwashing, sanitation of services and keeping a safe distance away from other people. If we follow those rules, and with this simple strategy, we’ll be as fine as we can be in this atmosphere.”

Cowell said he doesn’t expect the pandemic will effect the flow of agricultural products to the retailers.

“No, there shouldn’t be. Agriculture has been recognized as an essential service. The borders are open and movement is open for agriculture products. So as it relates to the COVID-19 virus I don’t see any concern as far as supply,” he said.

Cowell has nearly 24 years experience working in the agriculture retail sector. He said this is highly unusual.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before that affects the whole population especially,” he said “Certainly we’ve had other concerns as far as health in the past, but it’s seems to be a general observation, the general public is being more careful with COVID-19.”

Cowell said safety on the farm goes beyond the pandemic and he hopes farmers remember that.

“Just have a safe spring. We worry about COVID-19, but safety on the farm should be top of mind every day. There are a lot of safety issues on the farm that I hope all farmers observe this spring,” he said.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF