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NEWS
Rain fell across most parts of England
and Wales. North West England received the most during the last week
of June, with just over 12mm recorded. Wales received around 6mm and
the rest of England between 1-9mm. Further rain fell in Wales and
North West England on Thursday 1st July.
Impact on agriculture
 | The Environment Agency is monitoring
the position with farmers across the country. |
| Low river flows may mean some
farmers will have to stop abstracting water due to conditions on
their abstraction licences. |
| Formal restrictions may be
introduced on the River Wye in Wales and the Crossens catchment in
North West if the dry weather continues during the summer.
- There is a risk of formal restrictions (Section 57) on spray
irrigators later in the summer if the dry conditions continue.
However catchments do response well to sustained rainfall so the
situation can change quickly.
- The Environment Agency are writing to abstraction licence
holders in these areas, including farmers, industry and fish
farms, asking them to conserve water and check their licence
conditions, particularly those relating to low river flows.
- Currently United Utilities are looking at drought permits rather
than restricting farmers through drought orders. |
| In Midlands and Anglian regions,
the prospects are better but continued dry weather could see
things change very quickly. |
| Groundwater levels in EAs
Southern region mean water resources are ok at the moment however
problems could arise if the dry weather continues through this
winter. |
| Crops are beginning to
suffer as a result of the soil moisture deficit (the South and
East need about 4ins of rain to restore soil moisture to normal
levels for the time of year) even in areas where the groundwater
levels are relatively high. |
| Cereal crop yields are
expected to be down and straw in short supply with talk of the
straw being worth more than the grain! Bedding straw for next
winter is going to be in short supply |
| Farmers are also likely to
net a much smaller crop of hay/silage than they’d normally
expect. |
| Livestock
farmers in are facing a shortage
of animal feed and bedding. There is particular concern
from livestock keepers, who have a small number of animals that
they will be unable to source straw due to the pressure on
availability generated by straw burning power plants etc. |
Seven steps to a safer
harvest
| Basic maintenance
checks on farm vehicles should cover lights, mirrors, guards and
hoses, as well as ensuring that tractor hitches and trailer drawbar
eyes do not show excessive wear which could cause them to detach. |
| Tractor and trailer brakes
should function correctly and the handbrake should be correctly
adjusted – faulty handbrakes account for a surprisingly high
proportion of accidents. |
| To minimise the risk
of machinery fires, hot spots, such as engine and running
gear compartments on combines, should be regularly checked and
cleaned out. Whenever clearing or adjusting machinery, make sure
it is switched off and the keys are removed to prevent it from being
restarted while someone is in contact with the machinery. |
| Despite the delay to
harvest, if machinery is running hot, it should be left to cool
down – an engine fire will disrupt harvest more than a short
break. |
| Fire extinguishers
should be carried in the cab of the combine and it is a good
idea to carry another near the engine bay to tackle small fires. |
| When carrying out
fieldwork, all operators should be aware of the height of their
machinery and of any overhead wires they may encounter. Contact
with electricity accounts for around one in 20 of all deaths on-farm
and there have already been multiple accidents this season resulting
from large machinery touching overhead power lines. If this happens,
operators should try and stay in the cab to avoid making a contact
between the machine and the earth. Power to the lines must be
switched off as soon as possible and for this reason it is useful to
carry the telephone number of the electricity company in the cab of
each tractor. |
| Finally, it is
strongly recommended that all farmers and growers carry a mobile
phone with them at all times in the event of a fire or injury so
the emergency services can be contacted. |
(Copyright Gospel Communications
International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com)
Blue-tongue
The recent move
to a BTV8 Lower Risk Zone was a welcome one – and farmers should
ensure they comply with Animal Health requests for testing as Defra
looks to meet the accompanying EU requirements.
The department must sample 150
unvaccinated animals per month in the South of England and AH will be
carrying this out as part of its usual schedule of visits. Strict
criteria and limited time make your assistance very much appreciated.
The latest figures show that the July monthly
target was met, with 151 samples collected, but Defra has said extra
help may be required in the South East.
Copyright Gospel Communications. Inc.
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