Farming Monthly National August 2018 | Page 8

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Our pressure washers do the hard work , so you don ’ t have to

Whether it ’ s a pig pen , combine harvester or farm shop that needs some TLC , Kärcher will provide you with the knowledge , equipment and support to help you clean up around your farm . From hot water pressure washer trailers , independent of mains power and water , to leaf blowers for those onthe-move jobs , we have the solution that you can rely on .
Photo Credit Louise Fox

P ressure washers have long been a farmer ’ s go to tool when it comes to cleaning down valuable farming equipment , animal housing and vehicles , prolonging the lifespan of items by protecting them from corrosion-causing debris and defending the livestock against the spread of infection .

Pressure washers provide plenty of timesaving uses around the farm . Using a hot water pressure washer is up to 35 % faster at removing mud , grease and other substances – saving 21 minutes every hour . Due to this increased productivity , for all but the most infrequent user , this offsets the fuel costs and slightly higher purchase price than a cold water version .
Greater time savings and efficiencies can also be achieved with clever accessories from the Kärcher range which can turn your existing pressure washer into an all-round farm hero .
Equally at home in barns or farm shops , the FRV 30 hard surface cleaner allows for the cleaning of concreted , tarmacked and tiled areas with a pressure washer without splashing or leaving dirty water behind . The device attaches to a pressure washer to clean floors and walls quickly and thoroughly . Its unique Venturi system automatically pumps cleaning water away – meaning that the object being cleaned dries more quickly , yet the device requires no additional power or water . Whether used indoors or out , it dramatically reduces the downtime of the area being cleaned plus saves all the time previously taken to manually clear away the water . The FRV 30 can be used with hot or cold water pressure washers at temperatures of up to 60 ° C .
Another huge time saver is Kärcher ’ s Inno Foam Set . Instead of the laborious process of lime washing , in a recent study our stockmen achieved a 60 % timesaving by applying disinfectant with Inno Foam . Providing quick coverage , the simple to use twin lance system attaches to the pressure washer allowing the operator to apply detergent via the foam nozzle and very easily switch to the high-pressure water jet to rinse clear . In our study this method significantly reduced Salmonella and Enterobacteria levels .
Elsewhere on the farm , iSolar connects to a pressure washer as a solar revenue protection tool . Since a build-up of dirt on solar panels leads to a loss in power , reducing both what you generate for own use and any compensation you receive for feeding electricity into the grid , iSolar pays for itself in no time . Even debris from dust and pollen can reduce the output of photovoltaic systems by up to 20 %.
• As the world ' s leading pressure washer brand , we have exacting standards to uphold . Designed for comfort and built to endure , Kärcher Professional Pressure Washers undergo rigorous design , quality , endurance , climate and stress testing to replicate the countless demands our customers place on their machines in the real world .
• Purchase a Professional pressure washer between 1st July and 30th September 2018 and you can register to upgrade to a 3 year manufacturer ’ s warranty . For more details , and terms and conditions visit www . karcher . co . uk / rocksolid .
For more information on how Kärcher can help protect your assets and maintain the cleanliness of your farm , contact us on 01295 752 142 or email agri @ karcher . co . uk

Gove gives the green light to environmental farming project

The Environment Secretary has announced that the Payment by Results ( PBR ) project will be the first agri-environment scheme directly funded by the UK .

I n future , all the funding for the PBR pilot will come from Defra , with a £ 540,000 boost announced today to pay farmers according to the environmental outcomes they achieve over the next two years .

The project is paying participating farmers for work that is specifically tailored to the environmental needs of their area . For example , in Norfolk and Suffolk farmers are benefitting from planting nectar plots for bees and other pollinators , while those in Wensleydale are focused on managing species-rich meadows .
Today ’ s announcement follows the government ’ s public consultation on future farming policy which set out plans to move towards a system where farmers are paid according to the public goods they provide . As we leave the EU , there will be further trialling work to reach a model where profitable farm businesses and environmental land management can co-exist and complement one another . Secretary of State for Defra Michael Gove said : “ Under the CAP , agri-environment schemes have been overly bureaucratic and inflexible . This has impeded innovation for farmers who are passionate about the environment and want to see real change .
“ The Payment by Results pilot marks a shift in how we think about rewarding farmers for their
08 | Farming Monthly | August 2018 work . This approach signals how we see the future of farm payments , where farmers deliver public goods for the environment which we all enjoy .
“ I am delighted to extend this scheme and look forward to seeing further evidence of its success as we plan for our future outside the EU .”
The PBR project had been due to conclude at the end of this year , but Defra ’ s new funding will enable participating farmers to deliver environmental benefits for an additional two years .
The trial is focused on providing training and guidance for farmers so they are empowered to create their own management plan for their land , and feel more knowledgeable about what they want to achieve , and why . This flexibility has meant participants have become more engaged in the wildlife they want to see on their land and think more creatively about how to achieve these results .
In Wensleydale , the Payments by Results ( PBR ) pilot is delivered by Natural England in partnership with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority . It has proved popular with participating sheep and cattle farmers managing grassland in the area , who have been rewarded for producing habitat suitable for breeding waders , or for managing species-rich meadows . Arable farmers in Norfolk and Suffolk have
been paid for their management of plots that provide winter food for farmland birds during the “ hungry gap ” when natural sources of seed food have been depleted . They have also planted and maintained flower-rich foraging habitat for pollinators , protecting this hugely important part of the ecosystem .
Chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority , Carl Lis , said :
“ I am delighted that the Government has funded an extension and expansion of the Wensleydale payment by results pilot scheme . The pilot scheme has been a hit with farmers because it has been designed and delivered locally – and because it puts the farmer back in control of how the land is managed , rather than having to follow very detailed and rigid prescriptions .
“ With support from our farm team advisers , and the Natural England Project Manager , the 19 farmers in the scheme have produced some excellent environmental results in a short time . They have received payments for making their pastures into good habitat for wading birds , or for restoring and conserving species-rich hay meadows – which are no doubt the jewel in the crown of the Yorkshire Dales National Park ’ s farmed landscape . The better the environmental results , the more they get paid .”
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