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Farming Today: 16/08/21 Teen tractor safety, Harvest, Lambing Research

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16/08/21 Teen tractor safety, Harvest, Lambing Research

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 16/08/21 Teen tractor safety, Harvest, Lambing Research

13-year-olds learn to drive tractors safely. Harvest 2021. The habits of pregnant ewes.

As the Health & Safety Executive warns of more farm fatalities, one college in Northern Ireland teaches teenagers safe tractor driving. Harvest. Pregnant ewes and their habits.

The Health and Safety Executive says more must be done to improve farm safety after being notified of four fatalities on farms in just over a fortnight. From the age of 13, young people are allowed to drive tractors on their home farms if they pass a tractor driving course. 13-year-olds in Northern Ireland have been taking part in a course at The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Antrim. It includes the dangers of working with machinery and how to drive a tractor safely.

Harvest is in full swing, but in many areas the wheat's not ready, delayed because of cold rainy weather earlier in the year. We speak to the grower levy board the AHDB about what this year's crops look like in terms of yield and quality.

Researchers at the University of Aberystwyth have been studying the habits of sheep before they give birth. Pregnant ewes lie down for up to 13 hours a day. Academics say that by understanding this behaviour, they can help the sheep industry develop precision livestock farming methods. 

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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16/08/21 Teen tractor safety, Harvest, Lambing Research

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