Services associated with the primary sector, including food processors, diagnostics, farm suppliers, freight and trucking can also go about their business, while taking all practical steps to limit people-to-people contact.
Federated Farmers said that confirmation would have been a relief and a reason for pride for many farmers and workers in the relevant industries.
Otago Federated Farmers dairy chairman Mathew Korteweg said everything was running as normal for the time being.
"With having the other essential services that support our dairy farm still operating, it’s just a bit of planning ahead that we’ve had to change, which is not a bad thing.
"Ordering stock and stuff ... still getting to us. We just make the phone call and get it organised ... that’s all going pretty well."
He said stock feed deliveries were not affected but the biggest concern was whether they would be able to get culled cows away.
