Sales at the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets (DRLM) have been cancelled for two weeks from Monday.
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The decision was made by Dubbo Regional Council, Dubbo Stock and Station Agents (DSSA) and key industry stakeholders after talks with NSW Health.
The scheduled sheep sales for September 6 and 13, and the prime cattle sales on September 9 and 16, will not go ahead.
But a rescheduled prime cattle sale on Saturday, September 4, has got the green light "in the best interest of animal welfare".
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On Friday, the council advised that the sale on Saturday would proceed with "very strict conditions" for people pre-approved to attend it.
They included a requirement to undertake on-site rapid testing prior to the sale and enforcement of "strict distancing of buyers, agents and operational staff".
The DRLM was closed on Thursday for a deep clean after a person working there tested positive to COVID-19 on Thursday, August 26.
In a statement issued on Friday, the council announced "a further two people who had been at the facility in the past week tested positive for COVID-19".
"We are working closely with NSW Health to identify close and casual contacts," it read.
"However, as a precaution, anyone who attended the cattle sale on Thursday, August 26, or sheep sale on Monday, August 30, should isolate and get tested.
We are doing all we can to ensure our premises are safe for our customers and staff by consulting regularly with NSW Health about safe operation of the facility.
- Dubbo Regional Council
"The DRLM has already undergone a deep clean in line with the standards identified by public health and SafeWork NSW and is prepared for the limited operations of the prime cattle sale on Saturday, September 4, at 9am, adhering to strict COVIDSafe protocols in place at the sale yards."
The council has assured users of the DRLM it is operated in a COVIDSafe way.
"We are doing all we can to ensure our premises are safe for our customers and staff by consulting regularly with NSW Health about safe operation of the facility," the statement read.
"We know this is a part of running an essential business during a pandemic and Dubbo Regional Council wants to assure the agricultural industry that our operations are COVIDSafe and there are strict conditions of entry for anyone attending sales."
RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE FOR PRIME CATTLE SALE SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4.
- Only pre-approved DRLM Staff, DRLM agents, DSSA staff, genuine registered commission/company buyers and carriers are permitted on site. Pre-approval attendance to this sale is centrally coordinated by DSSA secretary.
- There will be a requirement to undertake on-site rapid testing prior to the sale. Instructions will be provided on Friday afternoon to pre-approved attendees.
- Mandatory check-in and fitted face masks are also a condition of entry, in line with NSW Health's Public Health Order.
- There will be no cafe in operation. Strict distancing of buyers, agents and operational staff will be enforced.
- Any attendee not adhering to the strict protocols in place will be instructed by management to leave the facility and potentially face further exclusions from DRLM. These protocols are to protect the people who attend the markets, and to ensure the long-term viability of the industry. Please contact your manager or agent should you have any further questions.
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