Farmers are being warned to take every precaution to protect their machinery, equipment and livestock, as reports come in from around the country of thieves targeting farms during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Car thieves are said to be turning their attention to the countryside as their usual revenue streams dry up, according to NFU Mutual. Rural affairs specialist Rebecca Davidson said: “Our agricultural vehicle specialists, who work closely with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service and police forces across the UK, are reporting high levels of agricultural vehicle and machinery thefts across the board.”

Rebecca warned that criminality is being “displaced” to rural areas during lockdown and NFU Mutual is seeing quads stolen in high numbers across the North West counties, large tractors and telehandlers from Norfolk and Lincolnshire, and horse boxes and trailers from Hampshire.

“Newer UTVs appear to be topping the thieves’ wish list, which is raising concerns that they are being taken to enable other crimes on rural terrain,” she added.

Meanwhile bigger units and agricultural construction equipment are also being taken by thieves with curtain-sided lorries, who are cashing in on deserted sites. The Country Land and Business Association’s director general, Sarah Hendry, also said she has seen reports of £5,000 worth of insulation material being stolen from a farm site that was undergoing renovations, as well as items worth £1,000 being stolen from a dairy farm.

Lincolnshire Police similarly tweeted that it is seeing a ‘marked increase’ in thefts of agricultural machinery.

NFU Mutual reported a spate of highly organised, large-scale sheep thefts back in March, including 70 stolen sheep that were recovered by police in North Yorkshire, and 47 lambs stolen from Monmouthshire. There have also been worrying reports of sheep being butchered in farmers’ fields, presumably committed by criminals looking to cash in on current public concerns about food shortages.

Farmers are being advised to take all possible steps to secure machinery and check livestock regularly to prevent thefts. Tractors and other farm vehicles with smart keys, which have electronic information needed to start the machine, are also being targeted, so it is essential to ensure keys are not left in the vehicle and are stored securely in a remote location, Rebecca Davidson said.

Rural scams

PC Chris Collins, rural affairs officer for Devon and Cornwall Police, said the force is investigating reports of small-scale livestock thefts involving poultry and sheep that have been slaughtered at the scene, most likely for private consumption or sale. The force is also seeing a number of scams relating to rural areas, he added.

“We have had some reports of individuals cold calling on rural business and farms and the subsequent theft of scrap metal, road fuel and heating oil. The Environment Agency has provided a report in relation to waste disposal, where an individual has visited farms offering to upgrade their tracks and roads for free as a way of getting illegal waste onto the land.”

Police are urging the public to be their eyes and ears on the ground during the lockdown. All crimes should be reported to 999 in an emergency or 101 in non-emergency situations. PC Collins also advised farmers to sign up to local watch schemes such as Farm Watch.

Crimestoppers said it anticipates that certain types of crime will increase during the Covid-19 lockdown, potentially including rural crime as thieves exploit the current conditions, with fewer farm workers and members of the community out and about. Crimes can be reported to the charity anonymously online at crimestoppers-uk.org or by phone on 0800 555 111.

Top tips for crime prevention

CLA offers the following general tips to help prevent crime on your land:

• If your business premises is unattended for a prolonged period of time then you must make contact with your insurer to let them know so they can be sure that you have the correct level of cover in place.
• You may also want to review the level of security you have installed at your premises. CCTV and security lighting are very useful and do not have to be complicated or expensive systems.
• If vehicles are kept at the property then think carefully about where the keys are stored. Could these be kept off-site during a period of shut-down? Can valuable stock and equipment be stored at a different location?
• Could you install any barriers at your site, such as bollards and fit wheel-clamps on trailers. Ensure that gates are secured at both ends, using reverse or cap hinges and a good-quality padlock and chain.
• If you witness any suspicious behaviour then record the details of the sighting – date – time – location, information about the vehicle, make – model colour- registration number and any distinguishing marks.

For more advice on keeping your farm secure, see the Farmers Guide farm security newsletter next week – if you don’t receive our newsletters already, please email your chosen email address to digital@farmersguide.co.uk and you will be added to our recipient list.

Global AgTech company AgriWebb has announced the launch of its new farm management software into the UK to help farmers scale and advance their operations quickly.

Offering an unrivalled set of tools to improve livestock management, AgriWebb can be used anywhere, anytime, both online or offline, on a single farm or across multiple sites. It digitises farm mapping, herd management, tasks and record keeping, empowering livestock farmers to grow their businesses in increasingly tough conditions and in the face of current market uncertainty.

An easy-to-use desktop and mobile app makes it simple to record farm activities while in the field, aiding operations with GPS-enabled tasks and linking business goals to herds and individual animals. Using farm data, tailored best practice recommendations are provided and support farmers to produce more with what they have.

The software is cloud-based, meaning if there is no internet coverage on-farm, data recorded to a mobile device is uploaded once internet connection is restored. It also integrates directly with popular hardware such as Tru-Test, allowing farmers to scan EID tags as usual and see the data auto-populated into the app, removing the need to manually update records. Crucially, AgriWebb integrates with all government databases across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; data entered into the app automatically syncs with your government account, removing the need to regularly log in, and makes potentially stressful audits very easy.

Currently used by farms across four continents, users have seen livestock production performance increases of up to 20%. The software aids the management of over 10 million animals across 4,000 farms in Australia, and has been tested successfully in the UK with an exclusive early adopters program for the last 5 months. This program included testing, researching and developing for UK farmers’ specific needs, alongside 100 British beef and sheep farmers, to ensure the software more than meets the demands of the UK industry.

James Smith, tenant farmer of Abermangoed Farm in Carmarthenshire, has used the app to manage his farm of 134 acres since November. He said: “I’m using AgriWebb whenever I’m on the farm. Whether I’m working out dosage rates, working out feed rations or keeping movement records, it saves me so much time.

“Before, I would have winged it and overspent, overstocked, and had drugs and medication sitting around that I didn’t need. Recently, with AgriWebb, I knew that I had the exact amount to dose a mob of ewes. It saved me going to the vet – I knew I could crack on and do the job – and it was more efficient. I’ve probably saved £200 – £300.

“One of the biggest benefits is my time with my family in the evening: I’m not sitting around with scraps of paper trying to find information to fill in books. I know I can relax.”

AgriWebb was founded in 2015 by Justin Webb, Kevin Baum and John Fargher. Webb and Fargher are fourth and fifth generation livestock farmers, respectively. Having met in the UK, the trio realised that pen and paper as a primary record-keeping tool and the time-consuming double entry of records to meet compliance requirements was a major problem impacting agriculture.

In 2018, the company acquired Northern Irish agricultural software specialist FarmWizard to strengthen the existing AgriWebb platform. The company is backed by the Wheatsheaf Group, a leading global investor and developer of AgTech businesses, which contribute solutions to help meet the food requirements borne out of the increasing demands of a changing global population.

Justin Webb, Chairman and Co-Founder at AgriWebb, said: “With our own experience of livestock management, we set out to build a tool that’s easy to use in the field. There’s so much industry change to navigate at the moment. “Our goal is to work with and serve British farmers with actionable data insights to make profitable decisions in the current environment – be it adapting to future subsidy criteria, broader environmental challenges or the numerous cost pressures. We’re proud to be working with the community.”

Campbell Mauchan, UK General Manager at AgriWebb, added: “We speak to British farmers on a daily basis and deeply understand that their time matters, as does meaningful data to help make informed decisions. Tighter profit margins mean increasingly having to do more with less. During our early adopters program in the UK, we’ve gained great feedback, particularly on our government database integration that helps to save a lot of time.”

Those interested in the software can sign up for a 14 day free trial.

Key features of the app include:

• An interactive farm map making it easy to monitor and update the location of livestock – as well as automatically calculating stocking rate, DSE load and grazing days.
• Sight of everything from a farm’s arable area, to auto-calculated grazing days remaining, currently occupying herds, and a full history of related records.
• Ability to create a customised livestock farming calendar with a full plan of all operations based on regional science that will increase a farm’s productivity and efficiency.

AgriWebb is a cloud-based platform available on desktop and mobile, iOS and Android. For more information on AgriWebb features and customer use cases, please visit agriwebb.com/uk.

With many children stuck inside, what better way to pass the time than with an activity pack? Colour, craft, puzzle and bake alongside fun farming facts, with a quiz for older generations as well!

View, download and print HERE.

On 3rd April 2020, Kubota Corporation, one of the world’s leading machinery and engine manufacturers commemorates more than a century of excellence in the market. The company released a statement :

‘In these challenging times we express our solidarity with all our customers, employees, suppliers and distribution partners. We thank all those of you who are on the front-lines helping others; like farmers who make sure that we have food or healthcare and medical professionals who take care of all those who are suffering. Kubota is #OnYourSide and we will be there long-term to support you.

Kubota’s journey started in 1890, by manufacturing Japan’s first iron pipelines for waterworks. Its founder, Gonshiro Kubota, laid the foundations of a company that is now one of the major players in the industry. Starting off as a foundry, Kubota would soon become a benchmark company in the global agriculture, construction and water-related industries.

Over time, the company expanded its business along with its range of services and products. In 1922 it started producing kerosene-driven engines for agro-industrial use, where it achieved significant progress in the field.Later on, in the 1960’s, the company launched its range of tractors for dry-field farming, before beginning work on water supply projects and sewage systems. In 1974, Kubota introduced its own compact mini excavator, making ground breaking work easier for all. By 1998, Kubota had extended its agricultural machinery business further as part of its internationalisation strategy, and had also established a manufacturing and sales operation in China.

Farming consultants have created an emergency document to help farmers plan ahead in case they fall ill during the coronavirus pandemic.

With sheep enterprises in particular facing a challenging lambing season, farmers are being urged to make a plan B as soon as possible.

The Emergency Plan template, created by the Farm Advisory Service (FAS), allows farmers to record the names and numbers of key contacts such as vets, feed representatives, accountants and contractors.

They can also provide information about where stock is housed – including in isolated facilities such as outlying steadings and out-winterings, and when lambing or calving is due to start.

Chloe McCulloch, Principal Consultant at SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College which delivers the FAS programme, urged farmers to complete the document as soon as possible.

“The key to success this year, regardless of the type of farm, is to have a robust plan and to take some time now to think through what you would do and who you would phone in the event you or members of the team become unwell,” she said.

“The template won’t take long to complete and will ensure that if you become ill, your livestock can still be cared for.”

Farmers can download the template from the FAS website and are advised to keep it somewhere that is accessible to all staff, such as the farm office.

More templates allowing farmers to record sector-specific information are also available on the website, together with additional guidance and information, including support for less experienced people who may find themselves helping on the farm.

There are also links to other sources of support during the crisis and information about how they are able to help with this specific challenge, including the farmers’ charity RSABI which can be contacted on 0300 111 4166 for help preparing an emergency plan or putting farmers in touch with a labour exchange or consultant.

This year’s Cereals Event is set to go online for the first time ever, as Covid-19 restrictions are expected to prevent face-to-face meetings and gatherings for some time.

Producers may be unable to physically attend the event, but they won’t miss out on any of the content, as all features are now being delivered virtually, including seminars, machinery demonstrations and even the exhibition, organisers say.

Event director Alli McEntyre said: “These are challenging times and while we are disappointed to have had to postpone the event, we are determined to do our utmost to support the industry,” she explains.

“It’s really important to us that we deliver all of the content we had lined up for visitors so they can keep up-to-date with the latest information, products and innovations in the arable sector.”

Seminar sessions will now be run as video-based webinars, allowing attendees to collect Basis and NRoSO points.

“Farmers will be able to hear from top speakers covering a range of subjects, from the impact of coronavirus on trade to new plant breeding technologies, adapting to climate change, digital innovation and agricultural career options,” Alli added.

Producers will also be able to ‘visit’ exhibitors and watch machinery demonstrations via an interactive map on the Cereals website, with live chats making for a fully interactive experience.

“We have had strong support from exhibitors for taking the event online, so there will be a full range of exhibitor led content on offer,” Alli said. “This will include video from crop plots, sprays and sprayers and working demonstrations, as well as exhibitors’ own video content and new product launches.

“Visiting an online event is going to be a new experience for most people, but by working closely with exhibitors and stakeholders, we are aiming to make Cereals as interactive as possible,” says Ms McEntyre. “Farmers are rightly being celebrated for the key role they play, and we are committed to supporting the industry by bringing everyone together during this difficult time.”

The event will be held online on 10-11 June 2020.

Farming landlords and tenants are being asked to work collaboratively and be compassionate in overcoming disputes during these unprecedented and challenging times.

The Tenant Farmers Association and Country Land and Business Association have joined forces to offer support during the Covid-19 crisis.

In a joint statement, with Defra’s support, the organisations are appealing to all rural landlords and tenants to work together, particularly when it comes to rent payments, notices to quit and finalising new tenancy agreements.

Neither party should seek to take advantage of the current situation, or use it as an excuse to act unreasonably, the statement says. Both parties are urged to consider the impact of their actions on the other and avoid taking a hard line on any issue.

TFA and CLA said never has it been more important for the whole of the farming industry to focus 100 per cent on supplying the nation’s food.

CLA president Mark Bridgeman said: “We know that landowners value their relationships with tenants deeply, and we are working with CLA members to underline the importance of working closely with tenants who are experiencing difficulties due to coronavirus.

“We have advised landlords to discuss with farming tenants any problems they are facing so that a mutual solution can be found, and we make sure farming businesses can carry on as well as possible in these difficult circumstances.

“We also suggest that, as far as possible, current disputes are put on hold and that formal proceedings for any non-payment of rent are used only as a matter of extreme last resort.”

TFA national chairman Mark Coulman added that it is “inevitable” that some tenants will struggle to meet rent payments or other tenancy obligations due to cash flow problems and other impacts of the Covid-19 situation.

“In these circumstances we are urging landlords and tenants to work together to agree alternative arrangements. We are already hearing of positive examples of landlords and tenants working together during this trying time.”

TFA says it is actively assisting members left in difficult situations beyond their control due to the current restrictions in place.

“As always, communication will be vital and we would encourage dialogue between landlords and tenants, so that practical solutions can be found for any ongoing issues or any that arise during this challenging period,” Mr Coulman added. “TFA and CLA members should contact their respective organisations for any further guidance needed.”

ADA has set out recommendations in line with Government guidelines to ensure that the landscape and rural communities remain defended during this national emergency.

In an unprecedented time, when the health, safety and wellbeing of the public is paramount, communities are being reassured that critical assets and operations to reduce flood risk and manage water levels will continue to be managed in a safe, secure and effective way.

ADA, the membership organisation for water level and flood risk management authorities throughout the UK, has been maintaining regular contact with the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards (IDBs) and other members during the coronavirus (COVID-19) national emergency.

ADA has agreed a series of recommendations for its members in line with Government advice. In particular, these aim to support the essential role that IDBs are playing in keeping watercourses flowing in our lowland landscape at this difficult time, in order to reduce flood risk, and maintain water resources and the water environment.

Understandably, the focus in the current circumstances will be on those parts of their systems that are most important and urgent. The recommendations encourage a proportionate and flexible approach by authorities, with officers working from home and utilising virtual meetings where possible. For their workforce and operational partners, taking steps to maximise physical distancing when they are out on the ground maintaining and inspecting watercourses and assets. Operational teams undertaking essential services have been designated key workers and will be adhering to the latest Government public health advice.

“IDBs, local authorities and the Environment Agency provide an essential public service by ensuring pumps, sluices and other critical flood defence assets remain up and running, which protect people, property, infrastructure and farmland,” explains ADA chief executive Innes Thomson.

“First and foremost, our number one priority is of course, protecting public health, including that of our valued water management teams,” he adds. “We have advised on a number of guidelines to reduce the risks to key teams and individual staff, while allowing water managers to provide these essential services to the public.”

Further information about your local IDB, the Environment Agency and local authorities can be found at www.ada.org.uk.

As the UK’s core supermarkets struggle to keep up with increasing demand and the most vulnerable in society are forced to stay home due to Covid-19, farmers have been out en masse – not just spring planting, lambing and feeding the country as normal – but going the extra mile to help the elderly, vulnerable and those who cannot get basic supplies.

Farmers Guide spoke to just a few of these heroic farmers, who are putting the needs of their communities above their own.

Norfolk farmer Tim Briscoe is one of a countless number of farmers helping to support his local community in these troubled times, and now starts his day early so he can deliver 12.5kg bags of potatoes to the most vulnerable in his area, within a 5-mile radius of the farm.

Tim, who manages the Buxton Potato Company, has also set up a point-of-sale box shop at the entrance to Dudwick Farm, based in Buxton near Aylsham, offering a “totally isolated shopping experience” so customers who are able to get out can collect potatoes and leave cash in the office without interaction.

Usually the farm supplies to many restaurants and pubs but since the UK went into lockdown and these businesses closed, Tim realised those that were self-isolating or vulnerable in the area would need a safe, hassle-free way to shop. The farm also managed to get 84 sacks of potatoes to a man in Costessey, Norfolk, who started a local help group for his area. Tim said it is “incredible” what people are doing and “everyone is really pulling together as a community”.

Similarly, Essex potato farmers Laura and Robert Strathern have responded to the crisis by setting up a free home delivery service for the local community. Fairfields Farm, based in Wormingford near Colchester, is delivering sacks and boxes of potatoes and hand-cooked crisps.

Like the Buxton Potato Company, Fairfields usually supplies to various food outlets including restaurants, pubs and schools, and when the Covid-19 situation broke, Laura and Robert decided to do what they could for their local community and beyond if possible. Other local shops had run out of potatoes, so many people in isolation were calling on Fairfields to get basic supplies. Robert said: “It’s a feel-good thing to do when the community really needs that support and you see the community pulling together to help each other.”

He added: “I hope that it’ll make people value the importance of buying local produce – it’s good for health, it’s good for the local community and it’s good to support rural businesses. It’s good for farmers and local people.”

Laura told EADT: “We wanted to do something to help and thought home delivery would be a good idea. Since launching, we have been so busy with our home delivery service around the local area. We are so happy to be able to do something to help and to serve our community. Things on the farm are also really busy, with the team out planting for the new season.”

They are still supplying to the very limited number of local businesses that are open, including a pub that puts together meals for local people. Laura and Robert are hoping to broaden their home delivery radius as resource frees up.

Meanwhile, the Probus Young Farmers group in Cornwall is helping the elderly and vulnerable in their communities by taking shopping lists of food and medical supplies, collecting them from local shops and delivering them to those who are at particular risk if they leave their homes.

Young farmer Sam Oatey said: “We saw other organisations and people offering support and thought what a great idea for us as young farmers with a good network of people across the county, we can go out and offer our support.”

Local demand for the service has increased this week as people are taking the pandemic increasingly seriously and the government has stepped up restrictions on our normal way of life. Commenting on the unprecedented times we are facing, Sam added: “Now is the time for us to come together as a community; the more we work together and support each other, the quicker we will get through this.”

Another farmer, Andrew Ward, is helping the local and wider community by taking to social media, giving the public a window into his farm and country life, as many are stuck inside and unable to enjoy open spaces.

“A lot of people in towns and cities are isolating in their houses and not able to get out at the moment,” he said. “A lot of their amusement is going to be coming from social media, so I wanted to try and do something informative to show what we’re doing out in the countryside and on the farm.

“What I want to get across is that we are still farming even though the country is in lockdown, but we’re taking the virus extremely seriously and putting in lots of measures to keep contamination out. With so many people at home and on social media it is an ideal opportunity to help bridge the gap between urban life and the countryside, and dispel any myths that farmers don’t care about the environment and climate change. We care about the same things that everyone else cares about.”

In the first video post on Twitter he said: “The virus is causing huge problems all over the world, and it’s no different here in farming. I just thought I’d start every day posting a video of what I’m up to and what we’re doing out in the countryside and on the farm.”

Andrew will post a video a day under his twitter handle @wheat­_daddy.

A glance at social media reveals an almost endless number of similar acts of kindness and community spirit among farmers up and down the UK. Third generation farmer Chris and his wife Amber have also been out delivering bags of potatoes to vulnerable people in their local community in Lincolnshire, after their local parish identified a list of residents unable to get to their shops.

Amber said: “Potatoes are really good for you. They’re versatile and they keep. We’ve had a great response from those we’ve visited and we’ve also had a couple of phone calls saying how thankful they are for the deliveries which has been nice.”

Addressing the public in a post on social media, NFU president Minette Batters summarised the incredible actions of British farmers in recent weeks: “I want to give a massive shout out to each and every one of you from farmers right across the UK. We are working 24/7 and we are absolutely determined to keep on producing the high quality, affordable, high welfare food that you enjoy and I just want you to know on behalf of all farmers, we have got your backs.”

While farmers are out feeding the nation, it is also critically important for them to protect themselves; although the isolated nature of many farming operations reduces the risk of Covid-19 spreading, it is important that farmers observe social distancing and hygiene advice from the government when coming into contact with the public or workers outside the immediate family. For further guidance visit: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Are you going above and beyond for your local community, or do you know a farmer that is? We want to hear from you! Email editor@farmersguide.co.uk or get in touch via Facebook @FarmersGuide1979 or Twitter @FarmersGuide.

With school closures as a result of Covid-19, children are spending more time on their family farms and may even be called on to help if family members are vulnerable or have contracted the virus. Farming organisations have issued advice for parents to ensure children stay safe in these unprecedented times.

Farming is well known to have the highest rate of worker fatal injuries in the main industrial sectors – 18 times higher than the average rate across all industries. HSE figures show two children were tragically among the number killed in 2018/19.

Transport, including overturning vehicles or being struck by moving vehicles, was the most common cause of death.

Farm Safety Foundation said children should not be allowed in the farm workplace and should enjoy outdoor space in a secure fenced area. Any access to the work area by children under the age of 16 should be planned and fully supervised by an adult not engaged in work activities. Children under 13 are not allowed to drive or ride on agricultural machines.

The foundation has teamed up with the HSENI to produce an eight-page online booklet for parents, as well as guidance on child safety and resources for Key Stage 1 and KS 2 children, their parents and their teachers. This includes colouring pages, a word search and two videos, Dangerous Playground for children aged 4–8 and Farm Safe for children aged 8–11. There is also a farm safety app called Farm Secure.

‘We don’t know how long this will last and our wonderful NHS workers are already feeling the strain of dealing with the spread of Covid-19,’ FSF said in a statement. ‘We need to take responsibility for our own safety and the safety of our loved ones and not risk any of us having a farm accident that will add to a workforce already under pressure.

‘They are working hard to keep us safe, the least we can do is farm safe for them!’

NFU Scotland is also reminding farmers and crofters to employ the highest possible safety measures and take the time to check over the farm or croft and make any necessary adjustments for child safety. Provisions should also be put in place to socially distance children from workers or delivery personnel who are not part of the immediate household.

Vice president Charlie Adam, who sits on the UK Farm Safety Partnership, said: “We all want our children to be involved in farm life but it is more important to make sure we create a safe environment on farm.

“Technology has changed so much in recent years, which has made a lot of work much more effective but has also made it a lot more dangerous for children to be in or around farm activities. We need, as an industry, to accept the change in times and change our practices with it.

“Farms are not playgrounds and we need to keep children off farm whenever it is not completely safe to have them there. Keeping our children safe and sound has to be a priority for all of us.”