NSW agriculture business can choose to mandate vaccination or not

The Staughton Group is among other primary industry businesses across NSW, which can choose whether or not they will mandate coronavirus vaccinations for staff, according to state government rules.

Managing director Edward Staughton said he was exploring a mandatory vaccination policy.

"It is something we're considering, but very much if we can drive up our vaccination rates through positive reinforcements and incentivisation then hopefully we'll get to a level that we'll get to enough critical mass to protect the site and protect each other," he said.

Mr Staughton estimated that up to 80 per cent of workers had already received their first dose and he said the business was hosting two $5000 raffle draws for fully vaccinated workers to encourage vaccine uptake.

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While retail and hospitality businesses needed to be double dosed from October 11, Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said it was up to individual agriculture businesses to decide if they mandated vaccinations for workers or not.

"Following advice from NSW Health, I have worked with industry to find the best solution to keep our rural and regional communities safe while also ensuring our farmers can continue to work and minimise any impacts on the supply chain," he said.

"If you work in horticulture, viticulture, the citrus industry, an abattoir or farm, there is no requirement from the NSW state government for you to be vaccinated, although I would highly recommend it for keeping our workplaces and communities safe."

For non-high-risk premises (such as farms, saleyards and abattoirs) and critical retail premises (such as garden centres, rural supplies, timber yards, hardware and building supplies and landscaping material supplies) it will be up to individual businesses to decide if they mandate vaccinations for workers or not.

Another of the region's largest agricultural employers, Corowa's Rivalea, declined to say whether or not it had made vaccinations compulsory.

In a statement, managing director Mick Hewat said Rivalea was committed to keeping staff, families and communities safe.

"This includes supporting and actively promoting vaccination for our team members," he said.

"All our sites are compliant with the vaccination requirements relevant to their location."

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