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Prospect of harvest delays and prolonged season prompts renewed safety messages
21 Dec 2022
As one of the most challenging harvest seasons in recent years continues for many farmers in the eastern states due to the ongoing impacts of flooding and higher-than-average rainfall, it's prompted some important reminders around safety and machinery maintenance.
"We know how challenging the harvest period is at the best of times, but this year we've got numerous other factors that are going to test many of our farmers just that bit more. Wet paddocks, damaged crops and shorter harvesting windows all add up to a longer and more gruelling season for many, although many will probably take that over not being able to bring a crop in at all," said Pete McCann, General Manager Case IH Australia/New Zealand.
He said a wet harvest would increase the risk of machinery getting bogged – multiple times a day – so solid knowledge and experience, and the best and most appropriate recovery equipment, was essential when it came to freeing combines and tractors from muddy ground.
Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) in Victoria recently held an information day around recovering machinery safely after becoming bogged. Participants were urged to have a good plan in place, know the safest method of recovering machines and ensure everyone on the team know what to do.
Pete said with the expected delays, additional stress and pressures on farmers and farm labourers, and a longer season for many, fatigue would need to be particularly well managed and monitored across harvest teams.
"We know how challenging the harvest period is at the best of times, but this year we've got numerous other factors that are going to test many of our farmers just that bit more" - Pete McCann, General Manager Case IH Australia/New Zealand
As one of the most challenging harvest seasons in recent years continues for many farmers in the eastern states due to the ongoing impacts of flooding and higher-than-average rainfall, it's prompted some important reminders around safety and machinery maintenance.
"We know how challenging the harvest period is at the best of times, but this year we've got numerous other factors that are going to test many of our farmers just that bit more. Wet paddocks, damaged crops and shorter harvesting windows all add up to a longer and more gruelling season for many, although many will probably take that over not being able to bring a crop in at all," said Pete McCann, General Manager Case IH Australia/New Zealand.
He said a wet harvest would increase the risk of machinery getting bogged – multiple times a day – so solid knowledge and experience, and the best and most appropriate recovery equipment, was essential when it came to freeing combines and tractors from muddy ground.
Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) in Victoria recently held an information day around recovering machinery safely after becoming bogged. Participants were urged to have a good plan in place, know the safest method of recovering machines and ensure everyone on the team know what to do.
Pete said with the expected delays, additional stress and pressures on farmers and farm labourers, and a longer season for many, fatigue would need to be particularly well managed and monitored across harvest teams.
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