Learnings from tractor incident
A near miss experienced by a North Island farmer worker when their tractor ‘park’ gear failed, has been shared as the latest Safety Alert from Safer Farms.
MORE FARMERS are buying and wearing helmets when riding quad bikes on their farms, according to Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson.
She says research on a campaign promoted by the Department of Labour, shows a 200% increase in the number of quad bike helmets being sold since 2010. The minister describes this as a fantastic result in just one year.
“I’m very happy to see farmers responding positively and taking action to improve quad bike safety, with many now making helmets compulsory on their farms. This is especially important when we consider that 40% of quad bike fatalities involve head injuries.”
An average of 850 people are injured, with another five killed, every year in on-farm quad bike accidents. Wilkinson says there is now evidence to show that more farmers have opted not to operate quad bikes on their properties as a result of the risks.
Labour Department inspectors have been out in the country make checks to ensure that quad bikes are being operated safely.
“It’s great to see many farmers taking this responsibility seriously and I want to thank all the farming organisations including Federated Farmers, Farm Safe and Dairy Women for their continued strong advocacy for improving quad bike safety," says Wilkinson.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.