The NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers’ Union have partnered with Welsh Farm Safety Partnership to raise awareness of ATV safety. 

ATVs are vital tools on many farms, but every year preventable accidents involving these vehicles cause serious injuries and fatalities. With almost 600 farm-related incidents reported in the last year alone, the farming unions are urging everyone in agriculture to prioritise safety and reduce the risks that come with their everyday use. 

To help farmers keep safe, the unions are urging farmers to remember these measures: 

• A – Always wear a helmet 
• T – Training  
• V – Vehicle and maintenance checks 
• S – Single rider only 

‘Risks are real every time you get on an ATV’ 

NFU deputy president David Exwood, NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader, NFU Scotland vice president Duncan Macalister and UFU deputy president John McLenaghan jointly said: “Every year we see lives shattered by preventable ATV accidents, and it’s time for that to change. That’s why we are coming together to send a clear message: safety must always come first. 

“No one plans to have an accident, and you never know when one might happen. Whether you’re checking livestock or moving around the farm, the risks are real every time you get on an ATV. It’s vital to take life-saving steps like wearing a helmet, completing proper training, being competent and confident in handling the vehicle and carrying out routine safety checks and maintenance.” 

The union representatives urged farmers that safety must be their first thought, not the last one. 

“We all have a responsibility to protect ourselves, our families and our teams to make smart choices on farm. Let’s lead by example, speak up when something’s not right and make sure everyone gets home safe. Remember, you matter,” they concluded. 

READ MORE: Fatal injuries on farms remain stubbornly high

Read more farm safety news. 

The post ‘No one plans to have accident’ – Farming leaders raise ATV safety awareness appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Callum Lindsay, 31, who farms sheep on the Isle of Arran, is working with the Farm Safety Foundation/Yellow Wellies to raise awareness of ATV safety after an accident that saw him fracture his C1 and C2 vertebrae.

Callum, who farms 4,500 acres of tenanted hill farms, as well as the 170-acre home farm, went out in heavy rain to move sheep to a place of safety – but his ATV hit a stone concealed by bracken. Despite not travelling fast, he was projected over the handlebars and his face went into the front rack, knocking him unconscious.

He came round lying in front of the bike, and found the dogs had moved the sheep to a safe place – but with no phone signal in the area he had to get back on the bike before he could call for help.

“I was unaware of the extent of the injuries that I’d done to myself at that given point in time,” he added.

X-rays revealed he had fractured the top two vertebrae in his neck and also fractured around his nose socket. He had to be airlifted to the hospital on the mainland, where he remained for some time.

Ten days after returning home, the cartilage detached from the inside of his nose, prompting a return to hospital for reconstructive surgery and a blood transfusion. 

Safety campaign

Since the accident, Callum has worked with RSABI and Yellow Wellies to raise awareness of the importance of wearing a helmet.

“I’m not saying that wearing a helmet would have eliminated me from having any injury, but it would have reduced the amount of injury that I sustained, and it would definitely have reduced my recovery period.

“Accidents are still going to happen,” he added. “But by putting all the safety things in place, it’s reducing them and encouraging people to reduce the volume of accidents or the potential for an accident on their farm is what I feel I can return to the industry.”

Callum fortunately made a full recovery, though it took more than a year, and he has been able to return to farming. 

He believes those who have survived these types of accidents have an important role to play in helping the industry to change.

No farmer sets out to have an accident

Commenting on the stories shared during Farm Safety Week, he said: “They’ve got lots of very sad and tragic stories and people that have survived and had severe implications.

“It’s seeing and hearing those stories that are going to reduce it because you can relate to it. Everybody’s jumped over a PTO shaft, everybody’s gone on a bike without a helmet. To me, that is what is going to reduce that figures that HSE are producing.”

He added: “There are too many deaths, there’s too many accidents on farms, but no farmer sets off to have an accident. I didn’t set off to come off that bike that day, but it’s doing things just that wee bit differently that gets you there.

“It might take five minutes longer, but what’s five minutes longer compared to being set up for six months?”

He wants to see wearing a helmet becoming the norm and part of a daily routine, and observed that during his time in New Zealand shearing over four seasons, helmets have been embraced there more readily than in the UK – even being a legal requirement in some cases.

“I don’t go on a bike without a helmet now. I feel more comfortable on a bike with a helmet. But to start with, I didn’t, you’re always forgetting it, but once you’ve got into the habit it just becomes normal and you don’t think about it.”

READ MORE: Fatal injuries on farms remain stubbornly high
READ MORE: How to farm safely near buried pipelines

Farmers under pressure

It’s often said that recklessness in the industry is the root cause of its poor safety record, but Callum pointed out that farmers are also facing time and financial pressures.

“A lot of people are working on their own […]. It’s not that they’re cutting corners, they’re just trying to save money. There’s that little money left in the industry that not everybody can have fancy lifting baskets and pay the electrician to come and change a bulb.” 

He added: “If you look at the industry from where it was, say, 50 years ago, there were far more people in the agricultural industry, and now one man is trying to do what three people were doing. There’s only so much that one person can physically do become before they become tired. […]

“The reality is that farmers have got so much to do – they’re the accountant, the cleaner, the plumber, they’re trying to do everything.”

However, little things can make a difference, and Callum believes time is the biggest safety factor.

“Doing things just a wee bit differently could reduce the risk they face on a day-to-day basis. After I had my accident, I evaluate things a lot differently. I might take an extra five minutes and check things a lot more.”

Focusing on mental wellbeing

With a wife and two young children, one thing that spoke to Callum about the Yellow Wellies campaign was the slogan ‘Who would fill your boots?’

Since his accident and work with the campaign, he’s noticed that many of the local farmers are now wearing helmets – and his local ATV dealer has also reported an increase in helmet sales.

This Farm Safety Week, Callum said he also wants people to give more thought to their mental wellbeing.

“If they thought a wee bit more about their mental wellbeing, they would be in a more positive mental mindset to change towards safety and accept looking at things for two or three minutes longer, or take four seconds to put their helmet on.”

He added: “It’s hard to explain to somebody to change that mindset until they’ve had an accident. Until I had my accident, I thought, it’s never gonna happen – just charge on, it will be absolutely fine.

“Once you’ve had an accident, you take a whole different outlook to things, and it’s trying to change that outlook to people before they have an accident.

“That would be a life goal ticked off if I can change the way that people look at things before they have an accident, especially young people.”

Read more farm safety news.

The post Farmer who survived traumatic ATV crash speaks out on safety  appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Firefighters from Llandysul, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Lampeter, Newcastle Emlyn and Llanelli Fire Stations were called to a farm fire just after 2pm on Friday, July 18th.

The incident on a farm in Llangeler, near Llandysul, involved one tractor, however, the fire had also spread to bales, two vehicles and a nearby property.

The blaze at the property, which was caused by the spread, was confined to the kitchen and attic space.

The force confirmed that the crews worked quickly to extinguish the fire and to prevent it from spreading further.

Eight breathing apparatus sets, three hose reel jets, one main covering jet and a water shuttling system were used to extinguish the blaze.

After extinguishing the fire, firefighters stayed at the site to monitor for any remaining hot spots. Crews left the scene just before 6pm.

READ MORE: Nottinghamshire: 12,000 straw bales destroyed in fire

How to prevent fires on your farm

• Regular maintenance – Ensure that your equipment is clean and maintained before every harvest activity. Regular equipment blowdowns and lubrication schedules can help avoid fires within your equipment.
• Help firemen find you – Provide the fire and rescue service’s control centre with what3words from the entrance of your farm and wait for the first appliance. They will then ask you to guide them to the scene of the incident.
• Know where your water supplies are – Ensure that any available water supplies on your farm are accessible to fire and rescue crews. If you know where your nearest fire hydrant is, ensure that this is clear and accessible.
• Have contingency arrangements in place – Consider using cultivators to put in fire breaks where safe to do so. If you have water bowsers available to extinguish spot fires ensure that they are near and full of water.
• Store safe – Where possible avoid storing bales near main roads to deter would-be trespassers and arsonists. Store pesticides and fertilisers securely and remember it’s critical to let us know if these products are involved in a fire due to the specific risks they pose.
• Check conditions and consult the Fire Severity Index before planning harvesting activities – This will help you identify the best time of day to start your harvesting to avoid the most extreme weather zones. Also, check wind direction and where possible harvest in the direction of the already cut crop and not the unharvested crop.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Firefighters tackle large blaze involving several farm buildings

READ MORE: Essex: Farm buildings and vehicles destroyed in fire

Read more farm safety news.

The post Tractor and two cars destroyed in farm fire appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Colin Bartram, business development manager of automatic sheeting system specialists Shur-Co UK, has explained how farmers can keep themselves safe and compliant.  

Colin told Farmers Guide a little of the backstory behind the company: “Shur-Co UK has been supplying the UK market for nearly 30 years with automatic sheeting systems to the construction tipper market, and we remain market leader to this day with an estimated 20,000 sheeting systems in service and many hundreds entering the market each year.”  

He added that the agricultural side of the business started some years later with specialist industries such as poultry litter companies and carcass disposal vehicles (following the foot-and-mouth crisis) and grew year on year to include silage waggons, potato and sugar beet trailers, dumpers and more.   

“What we are seeing now, however, is a widespread enforcement by the DVSA of the Road Traffic Act, and this is driving a widespread retrofitting of sheeting systems onto farm trailers of all kinds,” Colin added.  

What sheeting systems are available?  

For farmers looking for a simple front-to-rear flip net style system, the Agri-Flip kit is available off the shelf at Shur-Co in both hydraulic and 12V electric options.   

“This system is our most popular currently, as it allows farmers to purchase a kit with full instructions and install the equipment themselves relatively easily,” said Colin.  

“The system is either operated via our Bluetooth Smart3 remote control for electric or via the tractor switch if hydraulic. Reliable spring-loaded arms power a steel framework up and over the load, and the tarp motor spool opens the cover.   

“We also pleat the tarp to ensure it hugs the load and allows the motor to pull it into the trailer. Shur-Co UK ensures that our systems are supplied with overload protection as standard, whether that be in the form of a relay box for 12V electric or flow restrictors/controls for hydraulic.”  

The company also offers a side to side rollover option for those who require a waterproof cover with its Agri-Hydroclear system from Dawbarn (part of the Shur-Co Group).

It uses straps and hydraulic motors to reliably cover/uncover your load using just two quick connectors from the tractor and even an electric cable-driven front-to-rear bow slide system in the form of the Shur-Trak that keeps the tailgate free for tipping high and bulky loads.  

How quickly does an automatic system cover the trailer?  

Sheeting systems are not only safer, but also quicker. At the push of a button, you can cover your load in around 20 seconds, which, when looked at alongside manual covering, would save around five to 10 minutes.  

It is also worth noting that covered trailers are proven to reduce drag, saving on diesel costs for those farmers travelling longer distances.  

How do I get a sheeting system installed?  

Although the Agri-Flip is supplied in a fully adjustable kit with instructions (the only item Shur-Co do not supply as standard is hydraulic hoses), Shur-Co UK have an on-site installation team and an enviable dealer network that can be relied upon for installation and support.   

An Agri-Flip installation is usually complete the same day, and the team will often install multiple units during a site visit.  

Shur-Co UK also have installation workshops in Rochester, Kent, and Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, available for the full range of fitting services.  

Do you need a bespoke tarpaulin? Do you need a cover for your trailer or hopper? Any size or shape – call Shur-Co UK today: 01634 862363 or visit the Shur-Co UK website.

Read more machinery news.

The post Safe, simple, fast – trailer sheeting systems have got you covered appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Carl Scott, chair of the United Kingdom Onshore Pipeline Operators Association’s (UKOPA) Pipeline Infringement Working Group, outlines advice and good practices when installing land drains, clearing ditches, or undertaking other works near buried pipelines.

There are more than 27,000km of buried pipelines across the UK, used to carry a range of products at high pressures of up to 100 bar.

The pipelines are used to safely transport flammable and potentially explosive substances such as oil, natural gas, ethylene, and petroleum, as well as less obviously hazardous materials like water.

If damaged, they pose a serious risk to both people and the environment and repair costs can run into the millions of pounds.

Vital safety information

To remain safe, before undertaking any work within 50m of high-pressure pipelines, landowners must contact the pipeline operator especially when pipelines may be at shallow depths.

Operators can then provide the landowner with vital safety information and support, including visiting the site to clearly mark the pipeline’s location, helping ensure the work can proceed safely.

It is also the landowner’s responsibility to ensure that all contractors, employees, and temporary workers are made aware of pipeline locations and safety measures before starting any work.

Certain agricultural activities pose significant risks to buried pipelines – particularly drainage installation, repairs, and ditch clearing.

These operations often involve heavy machinery that can encroach dangerously close to underground pipelines, which are typically buried at a nominal depth of around 1m. However, in some cases, they may be located at even shallower depths.

To safeguard both landowners and pipelines, anyone planning work such as ditching, fencing, digging, or mole ploughing within 3m of a buried pipeline are legally required to first obtain permission from the pipeline operator. This isn’t to restrict work, but to ensure it is carried out safely.

Know before you dig

Before starting any work, it is essential that landowners and contractors are aware of buried pipelines in the vicinity. Using services like Line Search Before U Dig (LSBUD) can also help ensure landowners have the latest information.

If there is a pipeline within 50m of the proposed works, pipeline operators request to be notified of any works so they can provide safety advice and support, including providing maps, safety guidance, and even visit the site to mark out the exact location of pipelines.

The locations of pipelines are normally indicated by marker posts at the edges of fields; however, marker posts can be accidentally moved or damaged, and pipelines may not run in a straight line between posts and aerial markers.

To help ensure the best and safest outcomes for all, farmers or contractors are advised not to undertake any works within 3m of a buried pipeline without following the guidance below:

• Give pipeline operators sufficient notice before works begin so they can provide the necessary support
• Do not proceed with works until consent is given by the pipeline operator
• Never assume the route or depth of pipeline
• Be aware that pipeline depths vary and can often be found less than 1m below the surface
• Remember pipelines do not always run in straight lines between marker posts
• Be aware that other safety-critical infrastructure, such as cables, valve chambers and standpipes, can be buried along the pipeline lengths; these can be found at even shallower depths than the pipeline.

Legal requirements

Damage to pipelines can pose a significant risk to life, as well as potentially serious environmental damage if a product is released.

It can also lead to prosecution by the HSE as Regulation 15 of the Pipelines Safety Regulations Act states: ‘No person shall cause such damage to a pipeline as may give rise to dangers to persons.’

Working near pipelines without taking the correct precautions can have serious consequences and could lead to potential prosecution.  It is the landowner’s responsibility to ensure that employees, contractors and others operating on their land also comply with regulations.

To support those working in the agricultural sector, UKOPA offers a range of educational resources including a Working Safely Near Pipelines video, which provides a clear visual overview of what to do and what to avoid.

There is also an online ‘Working Safely Course’ available for employees or those working on farm which is an essential learning tool for anyone planning or conducting work near buried pipelines. Both resources are available via the UKOPA website.

Safety on farm remains critically important, not just during Farm Safety Week, but every day.

If you have any questions about a pipeline on your land, contact your pipeline operator who is there to help.

Read more farm safety news.

The post How to farm safely near buried pipelines appeared first on Farmers Guide.

As the annual Farm Safety Week (21st–25th July) kicks off, the latest figures from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) show 23 farm worker deaths were recorded in 2024/25.

An additional five farm workers lost their lives in Northern Ireland during the same period, bringing the total number of farm-related worker fatalities across the UK to 28.

Four members of the public including two children also lost their lives in farming accidents in the same period. Both children had accidents while using ATVs. 

Being killed by moving or overturning vehicles is again the main cause of fatality in the industry in 2024/25. 

Farm Safety Week is run by UK charity The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) and brings attention to the dangers farmers face every day growing food for the nation. 

In an industry that accounts for 1% of the working population, farming accounts for nearly 20% of all workplace deaths – this gives farming the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK.  

Meaningful progress

While the agricultural sector has long been associated with high rates of injury and ill health, recent data suggests that meaningful progress is being made in improving farm safety.  

Historically, the industry has faced alarming figures, with over 23,000 reported cases of long-term ill-health and serious injuries. However, there are now signs of a positive shift with the number of long-term ill health and serious injuries falling to 18,000.  

Furthermore, according to rural insurer NFU Mutual, the number of farm accident claims in the UK dropped from 937 in 2023/24 to 894 in 2024/25. Though modest, this decline is a welcome indication that safety initiatives and awareness campaigns may be starting to have an impact. 

Risk taking and complacency 

Despite the encouraging reduction in claims and reported injuries, the causes of farm accidents remain consistent and concerning. 

Incidents involving moving vehicles, falls from height, slips and trips, and trapped body parts continue to dominate the statistics. In the past year alone, these types of accidents cost rural insurer NFU Mutual over £48 million.  

Yellow Wellies continues to emphasise that reducing serious and fatal injuries is only part of the challenge. The charity highlights the need to address an underlying culture of risk-taking and complacency.

Research carried out by The Farm Safety Foundation revealed that 81% of farmers in the UK believe that ‘complacency’ – always having it done that way – is a major contributor to having a farm accident while 82% cite ‘attitude’ as the major contributor.  

Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation manager explains: “‘I’ve always done it that way’ is a phrase we hear all too often.  

“Although confidence built over years on the land is a strength, it can also become a blind spot. When you start to underestimate the dangers of the vehicles, equipment and animals we know so well, we risk letting routine turn deadly. Experience should guide caution, not excuse it.”

Whilst attitudes are changing, the pace is too slow for families who have lost loved ones in preventable accidents, and those living with chronic pain, long-term illness, or life-altering injuries.

“We cannot accept this as the cost of doing business,” she added.

READ MORE: Farmers encouraged to take part in #Take5StayAlive campaign
READ MORE: New towing alliance launches to improve safety across UK

Partnership with Australian counterparts 

This year, the charity has broadened the scope of the campaign and is working with their antipodean counterparts – Farmsafe Australia – to share stories, learnings and make a joint call for simple changes to save lives. 

Stevi Howdle, executive officer at Farmsafe Australia said: “Farm safety doesn’t stop at our fencelines. By working together globally, as advocates, researchers and industry leaders, we’re able to share lessons, spot trends, and better understand which challenges are uniquely environmental, and which ones are part of a bigger global story.  

“That collaboration strengthens all of us. It means we can respond with sharper insights, smarter strategies and a shared commitment to making farming safer for everyone, everywhere.”

Thirteen years of heartbreak  

Concluding, Stephanie made a heartfelt plea to farmers: “This is year 13 of Farm Safety Week. Thirteen years of stories. Thirteen years of heartbreak. Thirteen years of lives changed forever. 

“And still, too many are relying on luck to get home safe. Luck is not a safety strategy. It’s not a plan. It’s not enough. 

“So here’s my plea… to everyone working and living in the industry: please, stop and reflect. Look at your daily routine, your equipment, your mindset. Ask yourself, what can I do today to make my farm safer? For myself. For my family. For the people who work with me. 

“Change doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with one decision, one action, one conversation. We owe it to those we have lost. We owe it to those still living with the consequences. And we owe it to the next generation of farmers in the UK and Ireland and beyond.” 

Read more farm safety news.

The post Fatal injuries on farms remain stubbornly high appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The driver of the Mercedes failed a roadside drug test after the accident, which caused a tractor towing a slurry tanker to veer off the road.

Matthew Cumpsty appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 15th July, where he was handed a 12-month community order, including 200 hours community service. 

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £114 surcharge.

The 52-year-old, of Oldfield Drive, Great Boughton, had earlier pleaded guilty to drug driving and dangerous driving.

The court heard that at around 6.30am on Tuesday 1st April, Cumpsty was driving a silver Mercedes E-Class on Green Lane in Chester.

As he approached the junction with the A51, Vicars Cross Road, he drove straight through a red light, into the path of a JCB tractor, which had been travelling out of Chester.

The impact of the collision caused the tractor to veer off path and crash into homes at the side of the road.

Watch the video:

Emergency services attended the scene and on arrival found that two properties had suffered serious structural damage. Thankfully, there were no reports of any injuries as a result of the incident.

Cumpsty was arrested at the scene after failing a roadside drugs swipe. A toxicology report later reveal that he was over the limit for benzoylecgonine (cocaine) with 65 micrograms per litre of blood, over the limit of 50 micrograms per litre.

CCTV footage recovered from the scene showed him clearly driving through the red light.

READ MORE: Tractor “fully alight” within two minutes in Staffordshire blaze 
READ MORE: Dorset police plea for information after crops were damaged

Life-changing impact

Following the sentencing, police constable Richard Phillips, said:

“While Cumpsty has shown remorse for his actions, the impact of his actions that day were lifechanging and it was pure chance that nobody suffered any serious injuries.

“As a result of one bad decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence, several families were left homeless and commuters travelling into Chester were left with serious disruption for several weeks while repair work was undertaken.

“In addition, Cumpsty is facing a lengthy driving ban, I hope that this ban will give him time to reflect on his actions that day.”

Read more rural news.

The post Drug driver sentenced for causing tractor to crash into houses  appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The West and East Midlands regions have moved into drought, with some river flows in the region at their lowest for June since 1976. 

The Met Office has warned that temperature extremes are becoming the norm. This puts livestock and crops at risk, but also the safety of people and their homes, as fires can spread quickly and unpredictably. 

The National Fire Chiefs Council has reported more than 500 wildfires in 2025, while data from the NFU Mutual shows the increasing cost of farm fires, reaching £110 million in 2023 – an increase of 37% from 2022. 

Call for action 

Commenting on the current weather conditions, NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “As farmers, we are doing what we can, but this isn’t an issue we can tackle alone.

“It’s vital that government, fire services and local authorities work with us on prevention, education and response, and for everyone enjoying the countryside this summer to be fire-aware so these shared spaces remain safe for all.  

“Protecting our farmland means protecting our food, our environment and our rural communities.” 

Farm fires can start in a multitude of different ways, from combine harvesters overheating to disposable barbecues being left in fields.

As well as farmers and growers doing what they can to prevent and manage fires, the NFU is asking: 

• The government is to introduce legislation requiring manufacturers to ensure combine harvesters are equipped with fire suppression mechanisms at the point of sale. 

• Local authorities to start issuing PSPOs (public space protection orders) on activities that risk wildfires, such as lighting barbeques and setting off sky lanterns. 

• The government is to avoid changes in land management policies – particularly in the uplands – which could actually increase wildfire risk in dry conditions. The government has recently consulted on the burning of heather in areas of deep peat. The proposals would make it more difficult to carry out controlled burning of heather in specific upland areas over the winter, which is needed to manage vegetation and reduce the risk of moorland fires in dry conditions. 
• All fire services to invest in a newly developed adapter to enable fire engines to access on-farm water bowsers and tanks. 

‘I dread to think how bad it would’ve been’ 

A Lincolnshire farmer was named NFU Community Farming Hero for the East Midlands in 2022 for playing a vital role in delivering a farm fire training programme and developing an adapter that enables firefighter access to on-farm water bowsers, helping to save lives, property, livestock and crops.  

This adapter is being used in counties such as Lincolnshire and Norfolk, but in most other counties, fire engine fittings are still not compatible with rural water storage systems, making a farm fire outbreak harder to manage. 

Lincolnshire arable farmers and NFU members Andrew Ward and Rhonda Thompson have first-hand experience of the importance of these adapters when part of their farm went up in flames over the weekend. 

Rhonda said: “It was awful to get the call from a neighbour that our poultry manure heap was on fire, which is surrounded by thousands of acres of wheat – both our own and neighbouring farmers. 

“Every minute the fire was unattended added to the risk of it breaking over into the crop, where it would’ve spread quickly to neighbouring farms and been much harder to contain. Two fire engines arrived quickly from Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, and, fortunately, the Lincolnshire fire engine was carrying the adapter. 

“I dread to think how bad it would’ve been if the firefighters didn’t have access to our on-farm water stores and neighbours’ water bowsers and tankers. Sadly, that’s the situation facing most farms across the country without this adapter.” 

‘The solutions are there’ 

“Farmers are ingenious people,” NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos added. “The fact that one of our members worked with his local fire service to develop an adapter specifically for rural areas, then managed to secure funding for all 48 fire engines in Lincolnshire to be equipped with it, shows what can be achieved when we work together and put our minds to it.  

“These adapters have been instrumental in minimising the impact of farm fires on livelihoods, and I believe it should be a non-negotiable for all fire engines across the country to invest in. They aren’t expensive, yet the cost of a farm fire can be devastating. 

“There are solutions out there, and what we’re asking for today will help tackle some of the key causes and risks of wildfires,” she concluded. 

Read more farm safety news.

The post Action needed to minimise farm fire risk as temperatures soar appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Firefighters from Ashfield Fire Station were called to the Wigsley Old Airfield just after midnight on Sunday, 13th July. Crews were working throughout the night to get the fire under control.

At the height of the incident, there were 10 fire engines, the water bowser, the command support unit and multiple rural firefighting vehicles in attendance, the force confirmed.over

12,000 straw bales, which equates to around 6,500 tonnes of straw, have caught fire.

A spokesperson for the Ashfield Fire Station said: “This fire will take a long time to extinguish and looks like firefighters will be on scene for the next few days, if not longer, working to fully extinguish the fire and determine a cause.”

No injuries have been reported. Local residents have been urged to avoid the area.

READ MORE: Tractor “fully alight” within two minutes in Staffordshire blaze 

Profitable Farming said: “Absolutely mental, whether this was arson or a mistake in moisture control this is an heartbreaking example of a loss that could see a farm struggle for a very long time.

“Let’s hope no one was hurt and that they will be able to find enough bedding for the winter after a catastrophe likes this.”

How to prevent fires on your farm

• Regular maintenance – Ensure that your equipment is clean and maintained before every harvest activity. Regular equipment blowdowns and lubrication schedules can help avoid fires within your equipment.
• Help firemen find you – Provide the fire and rescue service’s control centre with what3words from the entrance of your farm and wait for the first appliance. They will then ask you to guide them to the scene of the incident.
• Know where your water supplies are – Ensure that any available water supplies on your farm are accessible to fire and rescue crews. If you know where your nearest fire hydrant is, ensure that this is clear and accessible.
• Have contingency arrangements in place – Consider using cultivators to put in fire breaks where safe to do so. If you have water bowsers available to extinguish spot fires ensure that they are near and full of water.
• Store safe – Where possible avoid storing bales near main roads to deter would-be trespassers and arsonists. Store pesticides and fertilisers securely and remember it’s critical to let us know if these products are involved in a fire due to the specific risks they pose.
• Check conditions and consult the Fire Severity Index before planning harvesting activities – This will help you identify the best time of day to start your harvesting to avoid the most extreme weather zones. Also, check wind direction and where possible harvest in the direction of the already cut crop and not the unharvested crop.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Firefighters tackle large blaze involving several farm buildings

READ MORE: Essex: Farm buildings and vehicles destroyed in fire

Read more farm safety news.

The post Nottinghamshire: 12,000 straw bales destroyed in fire appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Firefighters in Staffordshire were called out to Rugeley on Thursday evening (10^th July) after a tractor caught fire while being driven back to Cowley Hill Farm. 

Farmer Will Roobottom said his brother was driving back from tedding when a small fire started on the right-hand side of the bonnet. Within two minutes of pulling over on Pipe Ridware Road, about a mile from the farm, the tractor was fully ablaze.

Two fire engines from Litchfield and Abbots Bromley attended the scene, taking about 20-30 minutes to bring the fire under control. 

The cause of the fire is not known. 

The farm shared photos and a video of the tractor fully alight, before being tackled by firefighters and the shell of the vehicle eventually being towed away. 

Watch the video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will From Cowley Hill (@cowleyhillfarm)

Cowley Hill Farm’s social media confirmed no one was hurt: 

‘Massive thank you to everyone that came and helped yesterday evening. 

‘Where would we be without the fire service and the community around us to pull together to avoid the fire turning into a bigger problem. 

‘Metal can be replaced and luckily everyone is safe and sound. Thank you for all of the support from everyone.’

The sheep farm, which also produces hay and haylage for horses, is now in the process of looking for a replacement tractor.

“The big thing for us it was our only loader tractor on the farm – we do a lot of delivering haylage and hay to people and it’s our main tractor so it’s a bit of a pain that we haven’t got it,” Will told Farmers Guide.

“We’re borrowing a neighbour’s tractor on and off but we can’t have it 24/7.”

Read more rural news.

The post Tractor “fully alight” within two minutes in Staffordshire blaze  appeared first on Farmers Guide.