Farmers are being asked to participate in a survey looking at how the Covid-19 crisis has disrupted the supply of face masks used to protect against harmful substances.
The NFU wants to better understand disruption to the usual supply of face masks and other PPE in agriculture and is asking farmers to complete the online survey.
The farming industry uses face masks and other items of PPE as part of normal everyday operations to protect workers from the effects of harmful substances.
Since March, the supply of PPE including FFP2 and FFP3 respiratory face masks has been disrupted because of interruptions to manufacturing across the world.
There has also been a significant increase in demand from the health sector to protect care workers from the coronavirus.
The information provided will help the union gauge the level of disruption in supply to agriculture as a whole and which sectors are affected the most.
Farming industry groups are liaising with government to prioritise the availability of PPE to essential roles in the food sector, while recognising the need to protect front line workers in the NHS first.
The NFU points out that every industry is experiencing disruption to normal PPE supplies, and it may be some time before solutions are found and the supply chain is back to normal.
The anonymous online survey can be completed on the NFU's website, and will take no more than 10 minutes.
