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Corvus arrives in Bucks

Corvus arrives in Bucks: BOSS ORV has announced the appointment of JF Agricultural Engineering Ltd as Corvus Off-Road Vehicle dealers for Buckinghamshire. The company is based in Stoke Hammond, Milton Keynes.

A dealer highly respected in the area, JF Agricultural was started by Richard Flanagan in 1986 after his many years working in John Deere dealerships. His aim was to bring high-quality service and repair work to local farmers and, as he built a loyal customer base, the business went from strength to strength. He soon found there was a demand for good second-hand tractors and farm equipment, and this led to the development of the sales side of the business. In 2000, Richard’s son James joined the company full-time after working many summer holidays and weekends for the business. Following five years in the workshop doing servicing and tractor rebuilds, James decided to grow the second-hand sales of the business. The success of this led in 2018 to the start of selling new tractors, attachments, and other farm equipment.

Corvus arrives in Bucks

Corvus arrives in Bucks

“We’re delighted we now have Corvus UTV coverage in the county of Buckinghamshire,” says Phil Everett, MD of BOSS ORV, the sole UK distributors of Corvus. Europe’s first manufacturer of 4×4 utility vehicles, Corvus has quickly carved a reputation in the UK as a well-designed and tough professional UTV. The Corvus Terrain DX4 diesel models have now been joined by an electric version, the EX4 and the soon to be arriving GX4s compact petrol UTVs.

“A big welcome to James Flanagan,” says Phil. “It’s great to have his energy and passion focused on developing the Corvus business in this region. It’s also good to know we have all the excellent service and support JF Agricultural Engineering has brought to the area.”        

For more information about the Corvus Terrain range, you can call 01597 810188

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Prescription nutrition available in 25kg fertiliser bags

Prescription nutrition available in 25kg fertiliser bags: A new state-of-the-art bagging line will produce 25kg bags of fertiliser aimed at professional growers in the forestry, horticultural and amenity sectors looking for a more convenient way to improve soil fertility through targeted nutrition.

The line has been installed at Origin Fertilisers’ Silloth production site in Cumbria and has an automatic palletiser and shrink wrap to help keep the bags in pristine condition.

Prescription nutrition available in 25kg fertiliser bags

Prescription nutrition available in 25kg fertiliser bags

The new 25kg product lines are available throughout the UK and will be of particular interest to users who don’t require, or have the space to store, fertiliser products in the traditional bulk quantities associated with larger bags, such as the smallholder or equine markets.

A wide range of products are available, including the option of Origin’s Nutri-Match prescription service, which matches fertiliser grades to the soil’s nutritional requirements.

“The 25kg line offers growers in different markets the option to buy smaller bags in manageable quantities and not feel tied to ordering lorry loads of bulk product, which can be a strain on cashflow and storage,” says Richard Clark, sales director at Origin Fertilisers.

“We wanted to extend the use of our prescription matching service, which targets nutritional inputs to the soil’s needs based on a detailed soil analysis. This has been proven to increase yields and crop quality and offers growers the option to include up to 14 essential nutrients in any one blend.”

The 25kg bag range includes four standard grades – 20-10-10 or 24-4-4 – and buyers also have the option to add sulphur in the 13-13-20 + 4.5SO3 and 15-15-15 + 4.5SO3 blends.

Also available in the 25kg line are products from Origin’s Natural Nutrition range, which is derived solely from naturally occurring materials to help improve soils with phosphate, potash, sulphur and calcium.

“This is aimed at growers wanting to minimise their impact on the environment and only use naturally mined products on their crops. These include phosphate and potassium, along with polysulphate, which offers a slow release of sulphur to help with nitrogen use efficiency.

“Further benefits of using the smaller bags include less undercover space required to store them and easier to transport to the field,” adds Mr Clark.

The minimum order for 25kg bags is 40 to fit on a one tonne pallet load for easy delivery and storage. Growers after the NutriMatch prescription blend in 25kg bags will need to order eight tonnes of a single grade.

The bags are available through a range of national and regional merchants or by speaking to your local Origin Fertilisers’ sales representative.

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Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition: A fleet of machinery from Kubota has been described as ‘critical’ to the maintenance programme at Mount Kelly College and Prep School, replacing an array of equipment lost in a major blaze in November 2021.

Grounds Manager Mat Stevens has praised a pair of cabbed compact tractors and the two GR2120 ride on mowers for their roles in keeping the 140-acre site presentable, while their new RTV X1110 has vastly improved both accessibility and productivity.

Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

Kubota keeps Mount Kelly in tip-top condition

The grounds and gardens that make up the Mount Kelly complex are a hive of activity, not just providing sports and recreational facilities for students, but open to community and club use – including Chelsea FC who have used the winter sports pitches for Girls and Junior fixtures. A team of ten assist Mat in the maintenance who, for the last year, has been tasked with replacing their equipment bank following a shed fire at the site.

“We have had Kubota equipment here for 15 years or so, and while we have used other tractors in that time, we came back to Kubota as it has always been the best suited to our requirements and is a brand we all know and trust” explains Mat. “We opted for a L2452 and ST40 tractor, both cabbed, which means we can keep the team safe and healthy in all weathers. They are equipped with everything you’d want for a comfortable operator experience and the illuminated dash display is great for easily keeping an eye on fuel usage, PTO revs and hours etc.” He adds, “Both of these compact tractors have plenty of pulling power and their 4×4 drive makes light work of the heavier tasks where trailers are required.”

Alongside the L2452 and ST40, local dealer Vincent Tractors also delivered a pair of GR2120 ride-on mowers which Mat says are perfect for cutting around the lawns, particularly in areas where tractor access is limited. “It couldn’t be easier to adjust the height of cut and raise and lower the cutting deck on these which makes changing the set-up between different areas super simple. The 450-litre grass collector holds plenty of clippings, reducing the amount of time spent emptying and, again, an easy lever system makes the task quick and simple.”

“These machines, along with our new RTV X1110, have had a massive impact on how we get tasks done – in better time and with improved accessibility all round.” The X1110 from Kubota’s RTV Series brings a smoother ride, more comfort and even better drivability, ergonomically designed for optimum driver comfort and control. “This is an amazing bit of kit! We’ve not had one for the site before so previously would have to walk or share the tractor to get equipment around. The open back has plenty of space for tools and the hydraulic tip function means we can easily remove any soil or debris. Its ability to seat two people comfortably and its great off-road capability gives the team access to any part of the estate in any weather or ground conditions for improved productivity.”

“Another bonus is the fantastic support we get on Kubota products from the team at Vincent Tractors. Getting parts is super easy and communication and servicing is never a problem.” Mat concludes, “We couldn’t be happier with these additions to our equipment bank and each of them are making a real difference to our maintenance programme and keeping the site presentable throughout the year.”

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HSE records growth in HAVS cases

HSE records growth in HAVS cases: The company behind HAVSPRO, the solution for the accurate, real-time measurement and monitoring of workplace vibration, is highlighting the latest Health & Safety Executive (HSE) figures, released in November 2022, which show a 375 percent rise in new Hand Arm Vibration.

Over 300 new cases of HAVS were reported in 2021, in addition to 165 new cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (up 412 percent) and 255 new instances of Depuytren’s Contracture (a rise of 392 percent). HAVSPRO points out that these conditions are all easily preventable with appropriate measures in places to protect the workforce.

However, in addition to this disturbingly high rise in cases, the HSE report also shines a light on the extensive array of industries (some previously unconsidered) in which workers are exposed to such debilitating conditions.

Whilst the HSE statistics show the construction and mining industries have long been seen as key contributors to risk in this area, a number of new sectors are revealed as being areas of concern, including ‘service’ industries. The reported data sets include repair of motor vehicles, accommodation and food service activities, and transport and storage as part of the Service sectors that are reporting over 50 percent of new cases in 2021.

More than two million people are at risk from developing HAVS and approximately 300,000 people suffer from HAVS in the UK alone, with companies already feeling the impact of successful worker litigation to the tune of £2.5m in fines alone in the last 7 years – and almost £1.4m of these fines have been since 2018.

Russ Langthorne, Managing Director of SIXIS Technology, the company behind HAVSPRO, and a personal HAVS sufferer himself, is concerned at these significant increases; “These statistics are particularly concerning because the number of new cases is at a five-year high, and not just skewed as a result of the recent pandemic. It is clear that companies need to be taking this growing risk factor more seriously, given the significant impact it can have on both their workforce and their bottom line. Action must be taken now.”

HSE regulations stipulate that “An employer who carries out work which is liable to expose any of their employees to risk from vibration shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk created by that work to the health and safety of those employees, and the risk assessment shall identify the measures that need to be taken to meet the requirements of these Regulations”.

However, the regulations further state that “There is no legal requirement for continual monitoring and recording of vibration exposure and that to do so would probably not be a good use of your or your employees’ time, unless there are very specific circumstances.”

Russ adds: “Clearly, this huge rise in new cases in a number of related HAVS conditions and across a host of industries, indicates that there is now a very real requirement for businesses to prioritise vibration exposure measuring and monitoring, both to protect their workers and to avoid costly litigation and fines.

“The game changing and simple to adopt HAVSPRO system provides continuous measuring and monitoring of vibration exposure, allowing for a proactive, ALARP-focused approach to vibration risk management. There is no longer any excuse for companies not to engage in doing everything possible to manage the risk from vibration exposure, to as low as reasonably practicable, and to #MakeHAVSHistory.”

For more information, visit the HAVSPRO website.

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Two services in the spotlight for Agrovista Amenity

Two services in the spotlight for Agrovista Amenity: At BTME Agrovista Amenity will showcase two unique services – the online Agrovista Amenity Academy and the all-new AgronomyReports, which takes place at Harrogate Convention Centre from 24 to 26 January 2023.

Located in Hall one stands 120 and 125, there will be a particular spotlight on two of the company’s informative services.

Two services in the spotlight for Agrovista Amenity

Two services in the spotlight for Agrovista Amenity

The Agrovista Amenity Academy, which is free to sign-up to, provides in-depth knowledge on Agrovista Amenity’s market leading products (Product courses), as well as a wide range of areas in turf management such as turf disease, chemical, product application, seed and turf pests (Knowledge courses).

The Product courses have been designed so that the individual can fully understand and get maximum benefits from the products they purchase. With product and knowledge courses being added on a regular basis, Academy students are guaranteed to have a wide variety to choose from.

The Academy has already shown significant growth with over 12,000 CPD points awarded so far. Furthermore, many greenkeepers and course managers are benefitting from a CPD partnership with BIGGA, which enables BIGGA’s members to embark on any course they choose without having to go through an employer.

Alongside the Academy, the company will also be demonstrating its unique new soil analysis service called AgronomyReports, which features adaptable nutrition programmes supported by real time weather reports. This incredible new service will ensure that customers have all the information they need to make valuable decisions and help them to use the right products at the right time.

The Agrovista Amenity team will be out in force and will be on hand to discuss and advise on any individual requirements.

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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