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'Gypsy Day' going ahead for dairy farmers

Harry Galbraith
Harrys cow photos 2
Moving day for dairy farmers goes ahead  Wallpaper Flare

The traditional moving day for dairy farmers will continue as planned between May 31 and June 1 with tight COVID-19 restrictions.

Moving day for dairy farmers has been given the green light amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gypsy Day, as it's known, is when dairy farmers move properties to new farms.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury Dairy Chairperson, Karl Dean, says people will not be able to travel outside their region to move farms, or help others move.

"Gypsy Day can't just be delayed as it is the beginning of a new farm's management structure in most cases, and when all of the comparisons are made from the year June 1 to May 31."

An Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) spokesperson says farmers will have to register the movement of livestock with National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) as is the normal practice.

The spokesperson also said if Gypsy Day were postponed it could pose a significant threat to the production of food and animal wellbeing.

On the day farmers and their families will have to stay in their bubble, minimising face-to-face contact, and manage their physical distancing.