FSA’s Covid-19 actions

Without causing panic and in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) Executive Committee met on 16 March 2020 and because of its responsibility to its staff, management, members and their employees decided to postpone all events planned for the next 30 days.

Some of the events that are affected are as follows:

–  FSA Regional meeting at Ladybrand for 17 March 2020;

–  Young Farmer Conference and Function for 7 April 2020; and

–  Meetings on the rollout of the Revised Rural Safety Strategy

FSA will revisit the decision after 30 days. The movement of management and staff will also be limited during this period.

President Ramaphosa, in his speech on 15 March 2020, banned all gatherings of more than 100 people.

Farmers are encouraged to make the guideline (https://bit.ly/2xA624O ) prepared by Agri SA in different languages, in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO), available to their employees:

Symptoms:

Fever
Dry cough
Struggling to breathe
Plus any of the following:
Travel history to an affected area
Contact with persons who have the disease
Visit to health facilities where Covid-19 patients are treated.

People showing all 4 symptoms are advised to call the National COVID-19 emergency number on 0800 029 999 and Whatsapp 0600 123 456.

Free State Agriculture is particularly concerned about the high prevalence of illegal immigrants moving across our borders by not visiting official border posts and thus avoiding the necessary controls. The closure of certain border posts serves no purpose in this respect and effective actions to enforce proper border control should be put in place.