Our Blog

• The Countryside Code: Protect the Natural Environment 10 May, 2012
  

  Our Countryside Code series, which started last month with ' Respect Other People This month, we look at the second principal of the Countryside Code for the Public, which is 'Protect the Natural Environment'. It's split into two key points - leaving no trace of your visit and keeping dogs under control - and as with all six principles of...More

• A pro-active way to lock your livestock trailer 04 May, 2012

  Sadly farm trailer theft is once again on the increase, and Ifor Williams is a popular brand for thieves as there is always a ready market for them. On many farms, prevention is quite difficult. While painting your postcode on the trailer roof might help recovery, stopping theft in the first place is far better. Popular hitches are fitted with...More

• The Countryside Code: Respect other People 19 April, 2012
  

  As a rural insurer, we want everyone to be able to enjoy the countryside we live and work in, and our FarmSafe for Schools The first principal of the Countryside Code for members of the public is simply 'respect other people'. This is split into two key points - consideration of local people and others enjoying the countryside, and leaving gates...More

• Working with electricity on farms 13 April, 2012
  

  In the second of our blog series on health and safety, Philip Wilson looks at the dangers of working with electricity on farms… Statistics tell us that contact with electricity continues to be one of the main causes of death to farmers and agricultural contractors in the UK and that nearly two thirds of these fatalities involve overhead power lines...More

• The UK is a safe place to work - let's keep it that way 05 April, 2012

  In spite of the bad press, health and safety has made the UK one of the safest places in the world to work. This is something to be proud of and is due to many factors; the experience and good practice of the majority of our companies, well written legislation, good sources of advice both from industry, manufacturers, insurance providers, enforcing...More

• Preparing to let a holiday home for the first time 30 March, 2012
  

  If you own a property in the South West and are considering letting it as a holiday home this year, or if you're thinking about buying a property to let, there are a few things you should consider to make sure your first year of letting runs as smoothly as possible. Anthony Skitt from specialist Westcountry holiday lettings company Classic Cottages...More

• Hold fire on recruitment?! Big knock to employee’s rights coming… 23 March, 2012

  If you employ staff to work on your farm or for your business, you may have heard that the government has confirmed its intention to alter the qualifying period for unfair dismissal cases from one year to two years from 6 April this year, by laying before Parliament the draft law to bring this into effect. If approved, this would mean that fewer...More

• An Inspector calls.... 16 March, 2012

  Following on from our awareness-raising initiative "FarmSafe", we have asked Nigel Lyons, Partner and Head of Regulatory Law at Foot Anstey Solicitors Should there be an accident which results in the Police or a Government Agency (such as HSE, EA or Trading Standards) carrying out an investigation, then you will be asked to attend a...More

• Health and safety requirements for farmers and landowners 09 March, 2012
  

  In the first of a new series of blogs as part of our 'FarmSafe' initiative, we take a general look at the health and safety requirements for farmers and landowners and some of the most important considerations they must take when it comes to employing staff….. Firstly, it's worth remembering that the two main pieces of legislation around health and...More

• How a CHICKS break in the countryside makes a difference 02 March, 2012

  As annual sponsors of CHICKS, Cornish Mutual have invited us to contribute to their blog. CHICKS is a children's charity that provides free respite breaks for disadvantaged children from across the UK, including many from Cornwall. The children we help come from a variety of backgrounds. Many have been abused, live in poverty, or have...More

• Flooding: would you be prepared? 24 February, 2012

  In recent years, the South West has been subjected to bouts of severe flooding, which have destroyed homes and devastated communities. In November 2010, much of South East Cornwall suffered torrential downpours with more than 100 homes evacuated in the worst hit areas of St Blazey, St Austell, Mevagissey and Lostwithiel - even tourist attraction...More

• Farming and Renewable Energy 15 February, 2012

  Recently, there has been considerable press coverage regarding solar farms, including the Government's review of the Feed in Tariff ("FIT") which is applicable to solar projects. Solar is just one of the technologies of potential relevance to the farming sector. It is important, however, to make a distinction between commercial schemes led by...More