Farming

Child safety on farm a priority

Published

6 years ago

February 6, 2019

ON MAY 2017, a nine-year-old boy was seriously injured at a Devon farm. Travelling as a passenger, he had toppled off an ATV being driven by a 13-year-old. The younger boy, whose leg was badly crushed, spent weeks in hospital, needed a skin graft from his back and he underwent weeks of intensive physiotherapy. The older boy was undoubtedly traumatised too. In January this year, the farm partnership responsible for the boys’ welfare and safety were fined £28,333 and ordered to pay costs.

This shocking incident, like many others throughout Wales and the UK, could have been avoided if simple safety precautions had been taken and the law adhered to. Farms and farmyards can be hazardous places for every age group, but children are particularly at great risk if allowed to play, visit or help out around the farm unsupervised.

The Wales Farm Partnership (WFSP), a collaboration of all the key agricultural stakeholder organisations in Wales, has issued a warning to all rural families reminding them that ‘children should not be in the workplace, it is illegal for under 13s to ride on agricultural vehicles or machinery and work equipment like ATVs should not be used by children.’

The WFSP is determined to encourage farmers everywhere to reduce the risk of on-farm accidents through its ongoing hard-hitting farm safety awareness campaign. This month, its members will remind farmers and foresters everywhere that the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards, especially where children are involved.

Being struck by or run over by farm machinery or visiting vehicles is the biggest single cause of children being killed on farms. Accidents most frequently reported in the UK involve falling from tractors and ATVs or quad bikes. But danger lurks everywhere! Year after year, we hear of tragedies involving children on farms drowning or being asphyxiated; being crushed; hit by falling objects or collapsing stacks and injured by animals.

At a working farm, unsupervised children, who are naturally inquisitive and often fearless, can face risk from almost everything in sight as well as the human element – the unsuspecting family member, visitor or delivery person who drives onto the yard, unaware children are running around freely.

Brian Rees chairs the WFSP. An experienced farm safety trainer and one of Farming Connect’s approved farm safety mentors, Mr Rees is also a farmer whose three children, all now grown up, were brought up on his family’s working farm in mid Wales.

“Farmers themselves often misguidedly believe that farm children understand farm risks, but most children who die or are injured in farm incidents are family members, which tells its own undeniably sad story.”

He advises that staying up to date with best practice, knowing your legal obligations and making sure that children are supervised at all times is essential.

“The most important point is that, to meet your legal duties and keep children safe, children should not be allowed in the farm work place (and for young children they should enjoy outdoor space in a secure fenced area).

“By implementing a few straightforward safeguards and by ensuring proper supervision of children at all times, every farming family can and must reduce the risks of life-ending or life-changing accidents.”

Any access to the work area by children under 16, for example for education, or knowledge experience, should be planned and fully supervised by an adult not engaged in any work activity.
Children under the age of 13 years are specifically prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine.

“If you’ve got a computer or smartphone, you can get up to speed very easily by accessing guidance on best practice from both the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) website and also that of the Farm Safety Foundation, which works closely with the HSE and the industry throughout the UK.

“The WFSP is intent on raising awareness to reduce the number of farm incidents, but to achieve that, we need farming families to work with us, to take advantage of the guidance, training and mentoring available, much of it fully funded or subsidised by up to 80% for farmers registered with Farming Connect,” said Mr. Rees.

Eligible farmers can apply for up to 22.5 hours of fully-funded, confidential on-farm guidance from one of the approved ‘farm health and safety’ mentors, who are part of Farming Connect’s mentoring programme.

“Most farmers are aware that they sometimes take short cuts and don’t always follow the correct safety guidance, but having an expert to informally visit your farm and point out, in complete confidence, what steps you can take to minimise or eliminate risks could reduce the risk of accidents for many families.”

Farming

Special farming role for senior Pembrokeshire councillor

Published

6 days ago

December 17, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

AN OFFICIAL special farming role for Pembrokeshire’s deputy leader is to be established following a call made to full council, the first time the council has had such a role for a senior member.

In a question to council leader Cllr Jon Harvey, heard at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council meeting, Conservative group leader Cllr Di Clements asked: “With the recent changes in the budget from the UK Labour Government on Inheritance Tax and Agricultural Property Relief, many Pembrokeshire farmers are feeling concerned for the future of their family farms, many in Pembrokeshire which have been in the same family for generations.

“I have always found it disappointing that in all the years I have been a councillor, and the major contribution farming has to this county’s economic, cultural and environmental well-being, there has never been a Cabinet Member’s title with rural affairs or farming, or agriculture within it.

“To show that this council recognises the importance of agriculture, and the hundreds of millions of pounds generated by farming, will the Leader consider including it in one of the titles of his Cabinet Members’ portfolio?”

Responding, Cllr Harvey said: “I full share your perspective; it’s true this council has never had a Cabinet member with this role; however I can reconsider, I regard all aspects of rural life as vitally important.”

He told members farming and rural affairs came under the portfolio of the deputy leader [Cllr Paul Miller], adding: “we’re all aware of the changing aspects of rural life at the moment, we do have a rural affairs champion in Cllr Steve Alderman, but I’ve had a conversation with the deputy leader and agreed to review this title to reflect the importance of the role and will happily make an announcement in the next few days.”

Cllr Clements responded: “These words say a lot, it shows this council recognises the importance of the most constant and probably most important business in the county.”

Farming

Call for Pembrokeshire to oppose farming inheritance tax withdrawn

Published

1 week ago

December 14, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL on Pembrokeshire County Council to oppose government changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms has been withdrawn, but its proposer hopes his motion will return to a future meeting.

At the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced farmers would have to pay inheritance tax on agricultural property and land worth more than £1 million at a rate of 20 per cent, with a £3m threshold for couples passing on their farms.

This compares to a 40 per cent rate on other estates.

A Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Thomas, ‘relating to Protecting British Family Farms and Preserving Rural Communities’ was to be heard at the December 12 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council meeting.

Cllr Thomas, who stood as a Conservative candidate for Ceredigion-Preseli in the 2024 general election, asked that: “Pembrokeshire County Council notes its concern to the proposed changes to inheritance tax announced by the Labour Government in the recent Autumn budget, which would scrap Agricultural Property Relief (APR).

“APR has been instrumental in allowing British family farms to remain intact across generations, supporting food security, sustaining rural communities, and aiding environmental stewardship. This tax is estimated to impact over 70,000 family farms, leaving the average farming family with a tax bill of at least £240,000, which will force many to sell portions of their land or close entirely, paving the way for corporate ownership over family ownership.”

It called on the council to resolve to “oppose the Labour Government’s changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms,” to “advocate for the exemption of family farms to preserve the UK’s food security, rural communities, environmental initiatives,” and to “commit to maintaining its county council farms portfolio, particularly to encourage younger and new generations of farmers into the industry”.

It finished: “This council urges all councillors to stand with Britain’s family farms, to support our rural communities, and to protect the environment by formally rejecting this proposed ‘family farm tax’.”

At the December 12 meeting Presiding Member Cllr Simon Hancock informed members the notice had been withdrawn from the meeting.

Speaking after the announcement, Cllr Thomas, himself a farmer, said: “There was a dispute whether I should have been allowed to submit it as I am a farmer, so I took advice from the monitoring officer that I should withdraw it until I can get a dispensation from the standards committee to speak on the matter.”

He said he hoped to get the motion resubmitted to be heard at the next council meeting.

Farming

Welsh Lamb shines at the Winter Fair Taste Awards

Published

2 weeks ago

December 12, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE ROYAL WELSH WINTER FAIR TASTE AWARDS, showcasing the finest native lamb breeds of Wales in a celebration of sustainability, flavour and culinary excellence, were hosted by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS).

The awards, held in collaboration with Cambrian Training Company, the Culinary Association of Wales and the National Culinary Team Wales, spotlighted the exceptional quality of Welsh Lamb and its unique characteristics.

The competition aimed to promote native Welsh Lamb breeds and emphasise their distinct flavours, encouraging chefs, businesses and consumers to consider Welsh Lamb a premium product.

The RWAS says the competition provides a vital platform to showcase the exceptional flavours of native Welsh Lamb breeds while promoting sustainable farming practices.

These lambs are grass-fed, raised in Wales and come with full traceability from farm to fork. The initiative aims to highlight the story behind the meat and the dedicated efforts of farmers in preserving these breeds.

Societies representing seven native Welsh Lamb breeds participated in the competition, held at the Cambrian Training Company building on the Royal Welsh Showground at Llanelwedd.

Each breed’s lamb was expertly cooked by chefs and presented to a distinguished panel of judges, including Dilwyn Evans, a vet featured on TV series ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, Steven Owen, Castell Howell development chef, Neil Fenn, Professor Rhian Goodfellow, OBE and Arwyn Watkins, OBE, executive chair of Cambrian Training Group.

The breeds showcased included Badger Face Welsh Mountain (Torddu and Torwen), Balwen Welsh Mountain, Black Welsh Mountain, Clun Forest, South Wales Mountain, Llanwenog and Pedigree Welsh Mountain.

Each lamb had been bred, born and reared in Wales, ensuring sustainable and traceable farming practices.

The awards highlighted the diversity among native Welsh Lamb breeds, from the Torddu and Torwen’s hardy nature to the Llanwenog’s docile temperament and premium meat quality.

Farmers and breed societies demonstrated the unique traits of their lambs, such as flavour, sustainability and adaptability to diverse farming environments.

Arthur Davies (South Wales Mountain) and I. T. Davies & Son (Clun Forest) were declared joint winners of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards. Both breeds impressed the judges with their remarkable flavour, tenderness and quality, showcasing the very best of Welsh Lamb.

The event emphasised the importance of promoting the culinary excellence of Welsh Lamb alongside its visual appeal in show rings.

Guest judge, Dilwyn Evans said: “It has been an absolute honour to judge the Royal Welsh Winter Fair Taste Awards and experience first-hand the superior taste of native Welsh Lamb.

“This exceptional meat not only embodies the rich heritage and dedication of Welsh farming but also highlights the importance of preserving these unique breeds and the sustainable practices behind them.”

The RWAS thanked the judges and Cambrian Training Group for their continued support, helping ensure the lambs were cooked to perfection for the competition.

With the awards, Wales has cemented its position as a leader in premium lamb production, bringing the exceptional flavours of its native breeds to the forefront of the culinary world.