AT the beginning of a new year we are prone to making new year’s resolutions and fully intend on sticking to them for the year, writes FUW president Glyn Roberts.

We aim to be happier, healthier, have better mental health, look after ourselves and our family, spend more time with loved ones - the usual suspects will be at the top of the list no doubt.

There is however one resolution we hope you will stick to and that is making the promise that you will come home at the end of the day.

That you will make every effort to be safe on farm and manage the risks you face on a daily basis in such a way that your safety and that of those around you is not compromised in any way.

Last year was another year of tragedies on Welsh farms and too many families have been devastated by the loss of a loved one, or by incidents that have led to life-changing injuries.

Life is never the same again for family members left behind after a work-related death, or for those looking after someone with a long-term illness or serious injury caused by their work. 

So at the beginning of this new year I ask every one of you to make the promise that this will be the year when you give farm safety some serious consideration.

READ MORE: A New Year's message from FUW president Glyn Roberts

If there is anything you can do to make your farm safer, then let this be the year when you find out what you should do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. 

Most of us know that there are a number of areas where we can probably do a lot better, such as keeping children safe, handling vehicles, machinery and livestock and working at heights but there are many more. 

As a partner of the Wales Farm Safety Partnership Group, the FUW and FUW Insurance Services remind you that help is at hand and subsidised training courses, fully-funded guidance from a farm safety mentor, free guidance and publicity materials will all help you ‘stop, think and stay safe on your farm’.

In fact there are information sessions coming up towards the end of January and start of February that members are welcome to attend.

They are free and will offer the chance to ask plenty of questions and get information on how to be safer on your farm.

Another good place to get further information is social media and we would encourage you to follow and like Wales Farm Safety Partnership (WFSP) on the usual social media channels.

Just look up Farm Safety Wales on Facebook and Twitter to find out what campaigns and themes are planned, what resources you can access and how you can make your farm a safer place.

I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year and look forward to another year of ensuring that we have thriving, sustainable, family farms here in Wales for generations to come. The county offices are now open again, so if you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us.