EUROPEAN UNION PUTS BRAKE ON TRACTOR TIME March 9, 2001

The London Daily Telegraph reports: “Britain’s farmers could be restricted to spending as little as two hours a day sitting on their tractors or combine harvesters under EU proposals. The move is designed to prevent backache from vibrating machinery but appears to ignore the realities of agricultural life, particularly at harvest time. Concerned farmers are lobbying for the plans, drafted by Europe's employment and social affairs officials, to be amended. Lord Inglewood, a Conservative MEP, who farms near Penrith, Cumbria, said: ‘Brussels bureaucrats sitting in air-conditioned offices have no idea that farming in Britain is a game of hide and seek with the weather. Arbitrary rules of this kind simply sound the death knell for farming. The sun can't be made to shine according to an EC initiative.’
The Physical Agents Directive, which applies to all industry, proposes to make it illegal to use certain machinery for more than a limited number of hours because of the health risk of whole body vibration. Most agricultural operations exceed the limit and to comply an operator would work for as little as two hours a day. Farmers' union officials say the legislation could put farmers out of business. They say there is no scientific evidence to justify it. Vibrating farm machinery covered by the proposals includes tractors, combine, potato and forage harvesters and even quad bikes. The directive is expected to be approved this summer. British farmers have been given nine years to comply…”