Prepare for millennium rea
Prepare for millennium rea
FARM businesses relying on environmentally controlled systems must ensure they have contingency plans in place before the millennium, and all farms should be prepared.
Advice from ADAS policy adviser John Crabb is to always have a plan in place to cover all eventualities.
"In a normal day-to-day situation, you should have a back-up to cover occurrences such as power failure. For high-risk businesses, their normal emergency measures should cover any possible event."
Computer system
For any farm with a computer system it is prudent to back up data from the hard drive, in case it is lost, then at least some records may be recoverable, he says.
NFU Mutuals risk reduction surveyor John Allard is not so confident of a trouble-free new year. "I am not sure people should be totally reassured. Intensive livestock such as poultry and pigs, could have animals dying if feed or ventilation systems go wrong."
In such cases, he advises making sure there are enough people standing by to help out if systems do break down. He also suggests briefing staff so they too, know what to do in an emergency.
But other livestock sectors are more likely to face inconvenience rather than big problems, such as finding generators if there is a power failure. However, producers must plan in case other sectors of agriculture experience difficulties, he warns.
Without encouraging stockpiling, producers should be practical and order food and fuel ahead to cover any possible delays in delivery, adds Mr Allard. *