Dorothy Fairburn, CLA Director North, gives her views on the challenges facing the rural community.

WE ARE living in unprecedented and unsettling times. The CLA fully supports the actions taken by Government to manage the COVID-19 situation but inevitably the restrictions on travel, self-isolation and distancing, and the risks from absence due to ill-health, are having an immediate impact on the farming sector and the wider rural economy, and many will have long-lasting effects.

If anything, the current pandemic has magnified the importance and complexity of producing food – perhaps referring to it as ‘farm to fork’ is a gross simplification, and hides the fact of all the inputs required, outputs and supply chains that ensure food on the nation’s tables.

As a nation we have never been faced with a challenge quite like this. It is important for all businesses to be reviewing existing plans and I would hope that the majority are already some way along this process. Areas such as cash flow, logistics, insurance, contracts and procedures to pay and protect employees, are just a few areas where business owners will be reviewing their processes.

Diversified rural businesses such as those in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, for example, are being hit by a wide range of cancellations and postponements. With social distancing now encouraged, it is making life increasing difficult for everyone from a personal and business perspective.

The provisions from the Government for supporting businesses during the next few months are welcome. The CLA is keeping our members informed of developments and dealing with a high number of calls about the impacts. We are keen to support our members through provision of information to them from Defra and other departments, and highlighting emerging issues.

We are monitoring announcements of business support from the Government very closely and lobbying hard to ensure rural businesses get the support they need.

We don’t know how long the coronavirus will continue to impact on every element of society. We must protect rural businesses through these very difficult weeks and months ahead to ensure we can sustain a vibrant rural economy once the risk and uncertainty begins to subside.

Useful updates will be posted on a coronavirus-dedicated CLA web page www.cla.org.uk/coronavirus