Colac Otway Shire Council is stepping up its measures to protect people essential to the operations of the Colac Regional Saleyards by introducing a registration process.
As of this Thursday 16 April's weekly fat sale, all people participating in the sale must be registered with Council and display their registration tag at all times while onsite.
No onlookers or vendors will be allowed onsite for fat sales and registration tags will only be issued to agents and their staff, invited buyers and saleyards/Council staff. People without registration tags will be asked to leave site.
Transport operators will be exempt from the registration process, but will not be allowed to enter the pen area during sales, and should wait in their trucks until the sale is over before moving to collect cattle.
Council's Chief Executive Peter Brown said Council had met with local agents from Charles Stewart, HF Richardson and Stewart Dove, and mapped out the new process together.
He thanked a majority of the farming community for complying with Council's previous measures, but said it was important now to tighten up the process.
"Saleyards across the country continue to operate because of the important role they play in the food supply chain, and we need to do everything we can to protect the health of those people who are critical to our sales.
"Council is currently working with our local agents to put measures in place for a store sale in the future, and we hope to have more news on that in coming weeks.
"During this period, we ask that anyone who wants to buy cattle to liaise with their agent and ask them to buy on their behalf, instead of attending the sale.
"If we're able to achieve 100 per cent compliance for weekly fat sales, that will put us in a much stronger position to support store sales going forwards, so I look forward to receiving the support of our agricultural community on these measures."
Anyone who enters site, with the exception of transport operators, must sign in first at the saleyards office. This is to ensure traceability in the event that someone who has been onsite contracts COVID-19.
People using the truck wash are advised to carry liquid soap with them and thoroughly wash their hands before and after handling the truck wash equipment.
Mr Brown advised any buyers who wanted to register to take part in sales at the Colac Regional Saleyards to contact one of the three local agents to discuss their options.
