ABP expands farm family podcasting

The success of ABP’s summer podcast for farm families which was hosted by the broadcaster and farmer Karen Patterson in Northern Ireland has led the company to commission further interviews.

The podcast was initiated by ABP at the start of the summer as a way to connect with its farmer-suppliers during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the absence of the Balmoral Show.

The new podcast returns to the important topic of farm accidents. Previously Karen Patterson interviewed two survivors about their experiences; along with the Farm Safety Partnership and Air Ambulance NI. This time the TV and radio broadcaster Mary Kennedy talks to the international para-Archer Kerrie Leonard, who was paralysed at the age of six; Pat Griffin, Senior Inspector with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and Alma Jordan, Founder of AgriKids talks about the important of educating children on the issue.

The statistics in the Republic of Ireland reflect the seriousness of the issue across the island highlighted by a joint Ministerial statement in June. At that time, the Minster for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Edwin Poots, Minister for the Economy Diane Dodds and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys T.D., came together to highlight the need for all farmers, and all of those involved in agriculture, to play their part and reduce the rate of farm incidents.

The podcast provides stark industry statistics on the profile of farmers who are most vulnerable to accidents “Children and the elderly having accounted for 75% of fatalities on farms in the South so far this year,” said Pat Griffin.

Further episodes of the podcast will examine coping with rural life during the pandemic and reducing emissions in dairy beef.

All podcast episodes can be watched on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZuLeoYE2b0 or listened to in Northern Ireland on https://abpfoodgroup.com/about-us/podcast/ Spotify, Google, Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, and Castbox. ABP is an affiliate member of the farm safety partnership and a 2020 Business in the Community ‘Responsible Business Champion.’