Farming

Pig haulage faces major challenges

Published

9 years ago

December 23, 2015

Driver shortage: Affecting livestock farmers

SOME of the country’s leading livestock hauliers say their industry is facing a crisis on a number of fronts. The most significant is the difficulty in finding suitable drivers from home or abroad. The Road Haulage Association has indicated there is a shortage of 45,000 suitably qualified HGV licence holders in the country. This will have a major impact upon livestock hauliers, and comes at a time when the pig industry could do without any further bad news. Other challenges include: Farm Assurance: The efficiency, location and working speed of lorry washes needs to become a much greater part of the overall farm assurance package. In some cases, washes are still treated by processors as the lowest common denominator. They need upgrading with better disinfection systems and the like.

Animal welfare is compromised if long queues build up at abattoirs for whatever reason, and journey times are extended. Lorry washing: Lorry washing at abattoirs to improve biosecurity and reduce the risk of disease transfer is to be encouraged, but in a number of cases, lorry washing facilities at certain abattoirs can best be described as inadequate, with breakdowns also causing a problem, and recently, one large abattoir had to send dirty lorries home to be washed elsewhere because its facilities were not working.

With freezing weather approaching, more problems of this nature are likely to emerge. There is a lack of contingency planning for when washes break down. Some processors have made significant and expensive improvements to their facilities, but this isn’t the case everywhere. Washing costs are, in any event, passed onto producers but could be levied more efficiently on a per head basis, which is now the case with some abattoirs, rather than a flat rate according to lorry size. This also does away with collecting payments or tokens from hauliers. Lairage space: Although abattoirs are to be encouraged for taking extra pigs, especially in the run-up to Christmas, in many cases lairage space is wholly inadequate and pigs are having to spend long periods on ‘ free ‘ mobile lairages which happen to be hauliers’ vehicles, but while they are tied up being used as portable pens they cannot be on the road, moving pigs and earning money. This also affects haulage costs and compromises animal welfare too.

Working time Directive: Livestock hauliers are required to observe WTD rules, which is hard to do when vehicles are held up either by inadequate washing facilities or are being used as lairage space. If long delays persist, some hauliers may have to introduce hourly rates, which will add to producers’ costs. Loading bays on farms: Loading and sending pigs to be marketed is the most important task on any livestock farm and some producers need to give greater thought to designing and installing loading bays and, where bays are already in place, making they are efficient and can facilitate swift loading at all hours of the day and night. This will ultimately cut down on the number of hours lorries kept waiting while straw bales and sheets of tin are moved round various farmyards before loading can even start.

Drivers: Bearing in mind the 45,000 shortage of HGV drivers, the lack of skilled staff is currently the biggest challenge facing the whole livestock haulage industry. Despite high salaries reported, in some cases in excess of £40,000 a year, to key men, more are leaving the industry than joining, attracted by competitive salaries and a generally cleaner environment, with non-livestock industries and none of the stress attached to moving livestock over long distances, early morning loading and washing out with inadequate facilities, as well as having to meet often impossible timetables due to many of the time-limiting factors set out above.

Livestock haulage bosses are warning this is a major crisis and a combination of better working conditions and facilities, higher wages plus more respect from some processors is the only way in which the loss of drivers can be reversed. Haulage rates will inevitably have to rise to meet higher wage bills despite cheaper fuel costs and this will ultimately come out of producers’ pockets, many of whom are already trading at negative margins. But without an improvement in the day-to-day life of a livestock lorry driver, it is difficult to see how this situation can be reversed without a major restructuring of working conditions, processor systems and wage rates. To some extent, livestock hauliers have always been taken for granted but there are clear signs this will not be the case in the future, unless new employees can be encouraged to join this challenging but vital industry.

Crime

Farmer cleared of restraining order breach at Haverfordwest court

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been found not guilty of breaching a restraining order after being accused of referencing a protected individual in a Facebook post.

Philip Stoddart, 58, of Monkhill Farm, St Ishmaels, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jan 20) to face the charge. The prosecution, led by Ann Griffiths on behalf of the crown, alleged that between December 4 and December 13, 2023, Stoddart made a Facebook post that, by inference, referred to a person he was prohibited from contacting under a restraining order imposed by Swansea Crown Court on April 16, 2021.

The restraining order, issued under Section 360 of the Sentencing Act 2020, barred Stoddart from making any form of contact with her.

Prosecutors argued that the Facebook post constituted a breach of the order, contrary to Section 363 of the same act.

Stoddart denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea during a prior hearing on October 1, 2024.

Magistrates Professor N. Negus, Mr. J. Steadman, and Mrs. J. Morris presided over the trial, which concluded on Monday.

After reviewing the evidence, the bench found Stoddart not guilty, dismissing the case.

The dismissal brings to a close legal proceedings that had been ongoing for over a year.

Farming

Get up to £5,000 for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FARMERS in Wales are being called to apply for the next round of funding for on-farm trials.

The Farming Connect initiative, which has funded projects such as growing lucerne in Brecon, is inviting applications for the Try Out Fund.

The new application window opens on January 27, 2025, and will run until February 17.

Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund trials that experiment with new ideas on their farms.

The last round of funding supported several projects, including integrated pest management at a pick-your-own strawberry enterprise.

Menna Williams, the Farming Connect project lead, said: “Farming Connect has developed the Try Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment.”

She added: “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.”

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

Ms Williams said: “Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100 per cent effort right from the start.”

Projects should focus on enhancing production efficiencies and profitability while ensuring environmental protection through adherence to sustainable land management principles.

A guidance handbook is accessible on the Farming Connect website, providing support for farmers in outlining their projects and completing the application process.

To apply, individuals must be registered with Farming Connect and capable of finishing their projects by January 2026.

Ms Williams explained: “Funding can be used for technical assistance, sampling, testing and other reasonable expenses such as those relating to short-term hire of specialist equipment or facilities directly relating to the project.”

The findings will be shared with other producers in Wales by collaborating with a Farming Connect team member.

Interested parties can apply on the Farming Connect website.

To receive the link or get further information, contact [email protected].

Farming

Funding window to re-open for on-farm trials in Wales

Published

1 week ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WITH Farming Connect-funded trials ranging from growing lucerne in Brecon to establishing sunflowers as a companion crop with maize, farmers are being invited to apply for the next round of funding from the initiative that brought these projects to life.

The new application window for the Try Out Fund opens on 27January2025 and will run until 17 February. Successful applicants will be awarded up to £5,000 to help fund on-farm trials that experiment with new ideas. The last round of funding saw farmers supported for several projects including integrated pest management at pick your own strawberry enterprise.

Project lead Menna Williams of Farming Connect said the aim is for farmers to compare different treatments or management systems – the project is not intended to fund new equipment she stressed.

“Farming Connect has developed the Try-Out Fund to address specific local problems or opportunities with the aim of improving efficiencies and profitability within agricultural businesses whilst protecting the environment,’’ she said. “There are many changes on the horizon for agriculture, and now is a great time for farm businesses to explore an idea that could benefit them, allowing farms to tackle ‘real’ problems or check if a research idea works in practice.’’

The fund is open to individuals or groups of up to four farmers and/or growers in Wales who have identified a local or specific problem or opportunity.

“Because these ideas are initiated by farmers themselves, they are really passionate about them, giving them 100% effort right from the start,’’ said Ms Williams.

Suitable projects must aim to improve production efficiencies and profitability whilst protecting the environment by aligning with sustainable land management outcomes. A guidance handbook is available on the Farming Connect website to help farmers scope their project and complete the application form.

Applicants must be registered with Farming Connect and be able to complete their projects by January 2026.