“Protect today’s farm, secure tomorrow’s harvest.”
Farm Guard Project – Where to Find the Knowledge (on Agriculture-4-U)
All the essential safety and machinery know-how for Farm Safe lives right here on Agriculture-4-U. Each page is packed with practical explanations — think of them as your safety compass and tractor handbook in one.
🧬 Biosecurity Basics
🔗 https://agriculture-4-u.co.uk/biosecurity/
🔎 Why it matters: This page breaks down how diseases spread on farms and how to stop them in their tracks. Think of it as your shield against wildlife pests, diseases carried on boots/vehicles, and cross-contamination risks. It’s all about keeping the “bad bugs” out and the good stuff safe.
💩 Rules for Manure & Slurry Management
🔗 https://agriculture-4-u.co.uk/rules-manure-slurry/
🔎 What you’ll learn: Practical rules and regulations for storing, handling and applying manure and slurry safely and legally. This is critical because poor storage can attract vermin or spread pathogens — something Farm Guard is dead keen to prevent.
🌾 Crop Quality & Storage
🔗 https://agriculture-4-u.co.uk/crop-quality-storage/
🔎 The low-down: Covers how to protect harvested crops from spoilage, pests, and moisture problems. Great for understanding what keeps stored feed and grain in tip-top condition (and what doesn’t — cue mice and weevils).
🐄 Feedstuffs Quality & Storage
🔗 https://agriculture-4-u.co.uk/feedstuffs-quality-storage/
🔎 What’s inside: Guides on keeping animal feeds safe and nutritious while in storage. You’ll pick up on risks from moulds, contamination, and pests — all key elements of what Farm Guard needs to assess and protect.
Farm-Guard: Biosecurity, Environment, Quality & Storage
Farm-Guard is a three-part, real-world audit series designed for Level 3 Agriculture apprentices. You’ll investigate how your workplace operates, identify risks, and implement practical improvements that make a real difference on-farm.
🔒 1. Whole-Farm Biosecurity Audit & “One-Risk, One-Fix”
You complete a full farm biosecurity audit, scoring risks and identifying weak areas. Then you choose one high-risk issue to improve and evaluate the impact.
You will:
- 🚜 Walk the farm and check entrances, vehicle hygiene, fences, feed storage, water sources, and animal movement
- 🧑🌾 Interview staff about current practices and disease incidents
- 📊 Score risks (Low / Medium / High)
- 🛠 Identify 3+ improvements, then pick one key fix
- 📷 Collect evidence with photos and notes
- 📝 Upload results to OneFile and reflect on what you learned
Example focus areas
- Vehicle washing / wheel dips
- Visitor procedures & logbooks
- Isolation areas for new stock
- Feed storage security
- Boundary fences & water protection
- Shared machinery hygiene
🌍 2. Environment & Waste Audit – “Protecting YOUR Planet”
You assess environmental performance and waste management, then prepare You will:
- 🧭 Walk the farm and review soil, water, biodiversity, waste, and nutrient management
- 📋 Complete an audit table showing strengths, weaknesses, and improvements
- 📷 Provide evidence through photos and notes
- 🧠 Create 2–3 practical recommendations
- 💻 Upload to OneFile and write a reflective summary
Example focus areas
- Soil compaction and testing
- Water protection and runoff
- Biodiversity and habitat creation
- Waste segregation and chemical storage
- Nutrient efficiency and record keeping
- Energy and resource use
🌾 3. Quality & Storage Audit (Crop / Feed) – “One-Risk, One-Fix”
You audit crop storage or livestock feed storage, identify quality or safety risks, and then carry out one practical improvement.
You will:
- 🔍 Audit storage areas (grain store, silage clamp, feed bins, etc.)
- 🧑🌾 Interview staff about spoilage, pest issues, and storage procedures
- 📊 Score risks based on impact and likelihood
- 🛠 Recommend improvements, then complete one key fix
- 📝 Reflect on results and link to assurance schemes (Red Tractor / UFAS)
- 📷 Upload evidence and reflections to OneFile
Example issues
- Poor ventilation or condensation
- Pest access or contamination
- Damp patches or moisture build-up
- Dirty equipment or cross-contamination
- Missing monitoring (temperature/moisture)
🧠 Why Farm-Guard Matters
This project helps you to:
- 🔗 Connect on-farm learning with off-the-job knowledge
- 📈 Demonstrate real improvements in safety, quality, and environment
- 🧑💼 Build professional skills needed for Level 3 apprenticeship
- 🌱 Show practical actions that improve farm performance