Agricultural contractors have been issued guidance on how to try and keep themselves, staff and customers safe in the current coronavirus crisis.
The guidance emphasises the need to work in partnership with farmers to take all necessary precautions.
It also calls for avoiding direct contact wherever possible, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) said.
Whilst many farmers can remain ‘home-working’, contractors will need to move about, particularly following the desperately wet autumn.
It will be vital to many farmers that they can still access contractor’s specialist services and labour – particularly if farm staff need time off.
Jill Hewitt, Chef Executive of NAAC, said: "Agricultural contractors have a dual role in this emergency to keep everyone protected, whilst providing necessary operations to farmers in the essential provision of food for the nation.
"Over 90% of farmers use a contractor and many will not be able to manage without their services in coming months, for key operations such as drilling, spraying, mobile feed mixing and even sheep shearing."
It will be critical to share resources and work together to get crops in the ground and maintain high standards of animal welfare, the group said.
The guide is only available to NAAC members and can be downloaded and viewed from their website.
