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. 

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The decision will be effective from 19th August, with the current CEO, Graham Wilkinson, departing on 22nd August.

AHDB said that the appointment will allow for a necessary break in employment for Mr Wilkinson as he moves to a pork sector levy payer.

Ms Swadling brings more than 35 years of senior leadership experience across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. As a former independent board member of AHDB, she has a strong track record in governance, strategic leadership, and organisational transformation.

Her previous roles include interim chief executive of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and inaugural CEO of The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH).

As interim CEO, Ms Swadling will provide continuity and focus for AHDB as the organisation moves forward with the recruitment of a permanent chief executive, the board said.

Promise of ‘smooth and stable transition’

Emily Norton, chairwoman of AHDB, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Janet Swadling as our interim chief executive. Her deep understanding of AHDB and her wealth of leadership experience make her ideally placed to guide the organisation through this period of transition.

“I want to thank Graham for his commitment and achievements during his time with us and wish him all the very best for the future.”

Janet Swadling added: “It’s a privilege to return to AHDB in this capacity. I look forward to working with our colleagues, levy payers and stakeholders to maintain momentum on key priorities and ensure a smooth and stable transition as the search for a permanent CEO continues.”

The recruitment process for AHDB’s permanent chief executive is already well underway, with a high-quality field of applicants currently being considered.

Read more farm business news.

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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.

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The government has just outlined plans to hold a technical consultation on the draft legislation, including on inheritance tax, to ensure it “works as intended” before the next Finance Bill, which will take place in autumn 2025.

NFU explained that this is a common process in the development of a Finance Bill, but given the “appalling consequences” of this legislation, the union said it will be holding the government to account on every element of this policy.

A spokesperson for the union said: “The NFU has repeatedly provided evidence that the current policy does not achieve the government’s intentions of closing a loophole, protecting family farms, or generating as much revenue as it should. Nor do we agree that it is ‘not expected to have a material impact on food security’.

“On the other hand, the NFU’s ‘clawback’ solution would allow the Treasury to raise the revenue it seeks without tearing apart farming families or jeopardising domestic food production.”

‘This is a moment that demands listening, compassion and action’

Since the Budget in November 2024, swathes of MPs from all parties, including members of the government’s own backbenches, alongside county councils, farming and business organisations, the food supply chain and over a quarter of a million members of the British public have joined the call to stop the family farm tax.

Even the Office for Budget Responsibility and the government’s own EFRA Committee have highlighted the impact these reforms will have on vulnerable elderly farmers.

Throughout the summer, NFU members have also made their voices heard. At county shows across the country, thousands of letters and postcards were collected from farmers and the public to be sent directly to MPs – each sharing personal stories of how this tax will devastate their family farms.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “At the heart of this battle are the elderly farmers who have devoted their entire lives to growing food for the country and supporting their rural communities. They should not become collateral damage.

“To see them face such uncertainty, knowing the legacy they and their families have worked hard for and grown could be ripped away by this tax, is heartbreaking. I cannot begin to imagine the fear many must be feeling right now – their homes, their livelihoods and everything they’ve worked for is under threat.”

Mr Bradshaw said that he has spoken directly to the prime minister and treasury exchequer secretary James Murray about the “disastrous” impact of this tax.

“Yet, despite our persistent efforts, chancellor Rachel Reeves still refuses to meet us to discuss our alternative ‘clawback’ proposal. The Treasury claims our solution will raise less revenue but is refusing to release the modelling on how it came to this conclusion,” he continued.

Mr Bradshaw added that the issue with the family farm tax goes far beyond farming. “The food and farming sector supports millions of jobs, fuels our domestic food supply and contributes billions to the UK economy. When you undermine farm businesses, you undermine a vital part of our national infrastructure. If this legislation goes ahead, it will unquestionably have devastating and irreversible impacts on the country, and it is so poorly designed that it will inevitably have to be changed in the future.

“The prime minister must now take his own advice and listen to the overwhelming evidence that the current policy will not work as intended. To ignore the consequences this tax will bring would be a betrayal of the very people who feed our nation. We cannot stand by and watch the backbone of the countryside be broken when there is a credible alternative being offered.

“This is a moment that demands listening, compassion and action. The government needs to sit down with farming representatives to find a solution that protects the future of our domestic food production – before it is too late.”

READ MORE: ‘Madness’ of IHT reforms revealed, says farming community

READ MORE: Latest IHT report paints ‘catastrophic’ picture of family farming businesses

‘Tax burden on businesses, not wealth’

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) president Victoria Vyvyan said that the ending of vital inheritance tax reliefs will “crush” farming and family businesses.

“But the Treasury remains deaf, blind and indifferent to the damage to the economy. The CLA has made clear and costed the consequences of this ideological folly: the loss of jobs and the reduction in GVA. Together the industry has offered a sensible alternative via the ‘clawback’ mechanism. The Treasury has given no reason for failing to consider an alternative.

“This is not an impact assessment; it reads like an amateur note from an arrogant government setting and marking its own homework and simply not understanding businesses and food security.

“To be clear, this is a tax burden on businesses, not wealth, delivered without consultation and with derisory engagement. Farmers and family businesses are the backbone of the economy and deserve to be heard by a government that seems hell-bent on pressing ahead, indifferent to the slow but inevitable train crash.”

READ MORE: East Anglia farmers meet with shadow minister: ‘We feel undervalued’

Review your situation

Mark Charter, head of estate management at Carter Jonas, added: “After months of protests and government lobbying, many farmers and landowners have been waiting to see if any concessions will be made in the implementation of inheritance tax reforms.

“Now the draft Bill has been published, we recommend that any farming families who haven’t already started reviewing the practical and legal implications of the legislation begin doing so quickly.”

Mr Charter explained that this should include business ownership, partnership agreements, and different structures that can be used for holding property in multi-generational families. Farmers and landowners should also discuss will planning, lifetime gifts, and life insurance.

“While this legislation will not come into force before April 2026, we cannot rule out the possibility of the government making further changes affecting tax planning in its October Budget,” he concluded.

READ MORE: NFU Cymru president urges PM to change IHT proposals ahead of L-Day

Read more political news.

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Developed by Fielder Nutrition, the product – named Surge – is among the first to merge biological inoculants with a targeted micronutrient package, aiming to give crops both a biological and nutritional edge from the earliest stages of development.

The formulation includes three UK-derived bacillus strains, which have been proven to significantly improve root growth, stimulate enhanced germination and support the plant’s ability to cope with stress conditions.

Further to this, the bacillus strains work to enhance the soil and reduce the need for other synthetic inputs as they solubilise P in the soul and fix nitrogen.

Complementing this microbial blend is a manganese-rich micronutrient mix, designed to further encourage root expansion and early nutrient uptake.

Fielder Nutrition director Robert Hawkin says Surge stands apart from traditional seed treatments:

“The interaction between the microbes and the micronutrients is unlike anything we’ve seen before – it enhances germination and seedling vigour, helping the plant access water and nutrients more effectively through a more developed root system.”

A closer look at Surge

The development of Surge began five years ago, with the product undergoing extensive field evaluations across the UK to ensure strong performance under British growing conditions.

One of the contributors to its design is Dr. Apostolos Papadopoulos, a specialist in Bacillus microbiology.

“Surge is built around a biological core – specifically, beneficial Bacillus bacteria – which are included to support the early stages of crop growth and long-term plant vitality,” says Dr Papadopoulos.

“These are naturally occurring, spore-forming microbes that colonise the root zone at germination, forming a mutually beneficial interaction with the plant.”

He explains that Surge works through multiple mechanisms:

• Encouraging early and vigorous root development, which helps seedlings access water and nutrients more effectively
• Increasing phosphorus availability in the soil through microbial solubilisation
• Enhancing the plant’s tolerance to stress, both environmental and disease-related, by improving root-soil dynamics and triggering internal defence responses.

“Although the results might not always be visible above ground straight away,” he adds, “the biological activity contributes to more even crop emergence and stronger early vigour – which can lead to more reliable yields, especially when growing conditions are less than ideal.”

According to Dr. Papadopoulos, Surge also differs from many of the microbial seed treatments currently on the market.

“What sets it apart is that its Bacillus strains have been selected and trialled specifically in the UK, rather than being adapted from overseas formulas.

This regional focus means it’s well matched to the crops, soils, and environmental conditions encountered by British farmers – giving it a clear performance edge.”

Bridging the gap

Over five growing seasons, independent UK field trials and farmer-led trials have recorded average yield increases of 5%, with even more pronounced benefits under challenging conditions like drought stress.

Recent collaborative trials with the University of Nottingham have also highlighted the product’s potential to support natural disease resistance.

In winter wheat, plants treated with Surge showed up to 50% less yellow rust and reduced fusarium infection within three weeks of sowing compared to untreated controls.

Researchers attributed this to the ability of Bacillus strains to activate plant defence signalling and trigger production of protective proteins.

Promoting sustainability is also a key part of Surge’s appeal. The microbial strains are known to aid phosphorus solubilisation and biological nitrogen activity, reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.

Importantly, the product is compatible with conventional fungicide and nutrition-based seed treatments, offering flexibility for integrated use.

Surge is available through your local seed house or agricultural merchant and growers interested in the technology are encouraged to speak with Fielder Nutrition’s team for more details:

• robert@fieldernutrition.com
• 01743 860924

Read more arable news.

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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.

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The survey found out that 21% of respondents have broadband speeds under 10Mbps – compared to the national average of less than 1%.

Only 22% report a reliable mobile signal across their entire farm, and nearly one out of ten respondents have no 4G or 5G access.

Just 33% of respondents have access to fibre broadband, which is significantly below the UK average of 57%.

Nearly all respondents said mobile signal (98%) and broadband (91%) are important for their business.

Major change is coming

These figures come amid government delays to key rural connectivity targets. The deadline for gigabit-capable broadband and nationwide 5G coverage has been pushed back from 2030 to 2032, and while the Shared Rural Network remains on track for completion by the end of 2025, full rollout and operator compliance are not expected until 2027.

The NFU now warns that these substantial waits risk leaving farming families and rural communities cut off from vital services, especially as the government moves ahead with plans to switch all landlines to digital by 2027 – a major change that relies on strong broadband and mobile infrastructure.

There are some signs of progress: ultrafast broadband access is rising, now reaching 12% of respondents, and more farmers are embracing agri-tech tools such as cloud-based services and GPS, the union said.

The NFU is calling on the government to:

• Prioritise completing the Shared Rural Network to ensure all rural communities get a reliable mobile signal while the fibre rollout continues.

• Support all broadband technologies – not just fibre – to bring cost-effective alternatives like fixed wireless or mobile broadband to rural and hard-to-reach areas.

• Provide rural-specific digital skills training within national programmes.

Essential, not optional

NFU vice president Rachel Hallos said: “We have been consistently told by government that food security is national security, but to deliver on that, farmers need the right tools.

“Reliable broadband and mobile coverage are not optional – they are essential for running efficient, productive farming businesses and ensuring safety in some of the most isolated parts of the country. If a farmer can’t call for help in an emergency, the consequences can be serious.”

Ms Hallos added that poor connectivity is holding back the full potential of British farming.

“We welcome the government’s investment announced in the spending review, but these delays risk leaving rural farms disconnected for longer.

“This isn’t about asking for special treatment. It’s about fairness. Rural businesses, families and communities deserve the same opportunities as everyone else – and that starts with being properly connected,” she concluded.

Read more rural news.

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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.

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The prospect of changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) was not a pressing concern for the vast majority of visitors to the Royal Welsh Show in 2024.

However, 12 months later, thousands of farming families are arriving at the four-day show facing “huge anxiety”, with the elderly placed in a particularly “difficult and invidious position”.

After being contacted by hundreds of Welsh farming families impacted by the family farm tax, the NFU Cymru president said he has been “compelled” to write to Sir Keir Starmer.

‘L-Day’

Mr Jones sent the letter to 10 Downing Street on the eve of ‘Legislation Day’, or ‘L-Day’, on Monday 21st July, when the UK government publishes draft tax clauses to be included in the next Finance Bill.

It is anticipated that the draft APR legislation could be among the tax measures published by the UK government.

On what could now be a significant legislative landmark for the inheritance tax reforms – and with time running out ahead of the APR changes coming into effect from April 2026 – Mr Jones has called upon the Prime Minister to mitigate against the “devastating human impacts” of his government’s policy.

The letter

In the letter, the NFU Cymru president expressed his concerns that the number of farm businesses which stand to be impacted by this policy change will be far greater than Treasury predictions.

He continued: ‘What pains me more than anything is the sheer number of elderly farmers who, having worked hard all their lives, now find themselves tormented with the continual worry that their passing will create an unmanageable financial burden for their loved ones.

‘Across our nation, there are countless examples of farmers in their twilight years having to deal with complex tax and legal considerations, at a time in life when even minor decisions can be a source of considerable apprehension. For many of these people, either due to age or health issues, there is no recourse to insurance cover to meet tax liabilities.’

Mr Jones said that he knows that no government would want to place anyone in the difficult and invidious position that many elderly farmers now find themselves in.

‘My view remains that an opportunity still exists for your government to mitigate very many of the human impacts of these policy proposals, whilst meeting the government’s aim of raising revenue,’ he added.

As part of the NFU and NFU Cymru’s ongoing #StopTheFamilyFarmTax campaign, the unions are encouraging visitors to the Royal Welsh Showground to pledge their support by scanning the QR codes posted on the NFU Cymru building and the NFU Cymru/NFU Mutual marquee.

The unions are also making support available to farmers to help them write a letter to their local MP outlining the impact of the proposals on their business.

READ MORE: First minister faces backlash from Welsh farming community

Read more political news.

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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.

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