Ruth Bailey, director general and CEO of the AEA told Service Dealer on Wednesday this week as part of our conference call, that in consultation with government, the messaging regarding key workers and essential businesses was to follow the up to date government guidance and that the onus was on the companies themselves to make the judgement.

However, in further consultation and in trying to understand the guidance when it came to key workers, she said she advised companies to ask themselves whether without your part, without you doing your job, there would be a disruption, a breakdown, a hinderance or a barrier to the food supply chain staying connected, staying constant and staying moving.

“If you can’t get a technician on site, if you can’t supply parts, if you can’t get a new machine in time to customer for the harvest and there is a break in the food production supply chain, then it could be strongly argued that the food supply chain breaks down and your business could be part of the critical supply chain," said Ruth.

It is, however, made clear that a company or member has to make their own decision and the AEA advises anyone to look to the official guidance from government - the latest of which, which was published late last night, has added "Argicultural supplies shops" to the list of retail closure exemptions.

She stressed that at the moment there is no complete lockdown. The government advice says if you are unable to do your job from home, you are still able to go to work.

She added that the AEA have written to government to clarify that if a full lockdown does come into place, whether the equipment and parts supply chain for agriculture is a critical part of the food supply chain and can keep moving? She confirmed she is still awaiting a response.

“None of this," Ruth said, "negates of course the working two metres apart rule. Plus services like accounts, admin and HR, must work from home."