PEDIGREE LIMOUSINS ADDING VALUE TO HILL FARM ENTERPRISE – P17
April 26 2024 | £4.10 | Become a member from £2.09 | farmersguardian.com
THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE
SCOTTISH EDITION
MACHINERY
LIVESTOCK
ARABLE
Manitou material handler on test
Simmental breed ticking the boxes for family farm
Harvest progress made on lighter land
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NO MORE EXCUSES
● Pressure adds to safety fears ● Farm fatalities in focus By Rachael Brown NO progress has been made in 40 years when it comes to farm safety and the industry cannot carry on like this. That was the message from the chair of the Farm Safety Partnership and NFU deputy president, David Exwood, in response to provisional figures which showed 32 people had died on farms between April 2023 and March 2024. While the startling figure also included members of the public, it means the number of deaths in agriculture is ‘21 times higher than the average rate across all industries’. South west Scotland dairy farmer Colin Ferguson said the industry needed to ‘lead by example’ when it comes to farm safety. Mr Ferguson said: “So often we see industry champions or organisations posting pictures of children in tractors
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or folk on quads without helmets. We all know it happens, but we must stop romanticising our industry through bad practice. “Quite frankly we do not own the safety record to defend irresponsibility. It is easy to continually turn to the excuse of financial or time pressures being behind the unacceptable levels of injuries or deaths on-farm. I think it is time to put those excuses behind us and take responsibility for our industry’s failure to act.” NFU Scotland vice-president Alasdair Macnab said the sooner farmers embrace change around safety the better. He said: “There is no place for complacency or ignoring the opportunities to improve safety which are available. We must not stick with the ‘I have always done it like this’ attitude.” CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
DIVING INTO DAIRY New entrant showcases passion Page 92
24/04/2024 16:40