FIRE is a constant risk in country areas, be it from lightning strikes, mechanical failure or in some isolated cases, arson attacks.
Farmers know all too well the danger fire can pose and consequently they take action to minimise the risk.
They volunteer for the Country Fire Service, invest in their own on-farm firefighting equipment and ensure their harvesting machinery is cleaned regularly to lower the chances of a fire igniting.
The grain industry has embraced the SA Grain Harvesting Code of Practice, and has been proactive about improving practices across the board, partially so ‘someone else doesn’t make the rules for us’.
Unfortunately, this looks increasingly likely to happen.
Most farmers have seen first-hand how rapidly and unpredictably a fire can spread across a paddock, or how little time it takes for a machine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to be engulfed by flames.
They know all it takes is one hot bearing, or one little spark amid highly-flammable lentil dust. As such, they are not afraid to knock off when conditions are too dangerous to harvest.
While the overwhelming majority are doing the right thing, in each district there are one or two farmers that are known to push the boundaries, or have a different opinion of what constitutes dangerous conditions than the CFS or Bureau of Meteorology.
I’m talking about the neighbour that knocks off a few hours after everyone else, who keeps going just to finish the paddock or fill the bin, even as winds pick up and the mercury soars.
Unfortunately, it’s the actions of these few that have inspired the government’s effort to give CFS officers the power to direct graingrowers to cease harvesting when the prevailing weather conditions may cause a fire to get out of control.
Should the ‘power to direct’ measure be introduced, it must be accompanied by a thorough and easy-to-understand set of rules that clearly define when a farmer can be forced to stop harvesting and when they can’t. Any grey area will only make the situation more difficult to navigate for both CFS officers and croppers.
We must also ensure no farmer views the ‘power to direct’ measure as a safety net. Responsibility for stopping harvest during dangerous conditions should always lie with the individual farmer first and foremost.