Saleyard boss warns non-essential people to stay away from selling centres

AAM Investment Group manages the Regional Livestock Exchange network of saleyards at Gracemere in Queensland, Carcoar, Tamworth, Inverell and Singleton in NSW and Ballarat, Wodonga and Camperdown in Victoria.

Its managing director Garry Edwards said the company had tightened measures to protect anybody who visits its saleyards from coronavirus infection.

"We need those individuals who do not have a genuine intent to purchase or are not essential to the sale-day process to remain away from the facility," Mr Edwards said.

"We have effective processes for online bidding and remote sale participation in place and we urge people to use these systems wherever possible."

Mr Edwards said key additional changes included capturing the sign-in details of all people present at each sale and actively monitoring attendance and buying activity.

Those who flout the rules would be excluded. Electronic sign-in systems were being fast tracked so that essential site users and staff can continue operations with minimal disruption.

"Our first priority is the health of those considered essential to the function of the sale including genuine buyers, agents, transporters and site staff and we're proactively implementing these changes to reduce the risk of exposure whilst in attendance at our network of livestock facilities," Mr Edwards said

"We're adhering to the latest government advice and that means those who must be on site also implementing the highest standards of personal hygiene including washing hands thoroughly and avoiding unnecessary interpersonal contact.

"Anyone who is showing symptoms of illness should stays at home and accesses livestock sales through alternative means."

Mr Edwards said now was the time to embrace the technology available to adhere to social distancing requirements while ensuring the continued flow of livestock through the supply chain.

"The responsibility of mitigating risk sits with every member of society. If people do not adhere to these reasonable requests, they will be asked to leave and if they don't listen, they will be barred from attending the site," Mr Edwards said.

"We have technology in place to ensure saleyards remain an active marketplace and it is now critical people shift the way they receive their market information and sales reports.

"The StockLive system of live-streaming and online bidding is being made available across all sales, at all sites, to provide an effective and efficient remote participation alternative to physically attending sale events."

The StockLive system had been used by RLX over the past two years and had proven a simple and effective platform for both vendors and buyers, he said.

First-time uses of the system should visit www.rlx.com.au for full sale listings and links to live sales right across the country.

Viewing areas for buyers showing a live feed of the sale on digital screens had also been established at sites to facilitate maximised social distancing. Using the screens, buyers who are not active across all lines of livestock can still view and monitor the sale without needing to remain in the buyers' gallery.