NATIONWIDE NEWS
What to do when neighbors borrow farm equipment
The following information is providedby Nationwide®, the#1 farmandranch insurer in the U.S.* Whenherhusband,Mike,passedawayin 2020, JolenePalmerwas facedwith the task of harvesting the Fairfax, Minnesota, farm family’s corncrop—but shewasn’t alone. Neighboring farmers eagerly volun- teered their time and equipment—58 people, 12 combines, 12 grain carts and28 semis, tobeexact—tohelpher get thecrop in the bin. “In a total of 15 hours, they harvest- ed 1,100 acres. It really was a true effort,” Palmer said.“It went so smoothly. It was just a huge accomplishment and it really made everybody feel good.” Farmers are well known for helping each other in times of need. Lending equipment or a helping hand to neigh- bors often takes place without a second thought. But like anything in farming, it’s crucial to do proper planning— weighing any safety, liability and in- surance considerations. Before lending farm and agricultural equipment, consider this scenario: Say your neighbor rolls over your lent tractor, which is one of themost common
accidents in farming. Could you be liable for injuries? Will damages to the tractor be covered under your insurance policy? Nationwide’s associatevicepresident of riskmanagement, JasonBerkland, recom- mends farmers stop and ask themselves three important questions before lending equipment to assist neighbors, including: 1. Does my policy extend coverage for rented or lent equipment? Beforedonatingequipmentormachinery to help out, confirmany coverage for that equipmentwithyour farminsuranceagent. 2. Is the piece of equipment in good working order?
Makesureanymachineryor equipment you are lending is well maintained. That includes having all safety equipment like guards or locks installed and in working order. For additional information onmo- bileequipment safety, considerourmobile equipment safety training program. 3.Does thepersonborrowing theequip- ment have the experience and ability to run the equipment safely?
the#1 farminsurer in theU.S. ,Nationwide hasbeenhelping farmers inneed fornear- ly a century—so we get it. We just want to make sure that when farmers help other farmers, safeguards are in place to help protect those involved.
Confirmwhowillbeoperatingtheequip- mentandthat theyhavethenecessaryexpe- rience.Alsoconductawalkaroundtogether topoint out safety features, wornparts and areas towatchwhileusing theequipment. Helpyourneighborswithconfidence.As Contact your local Nationwide Farm Certifiedagent tolearnmoreabout therisks of lending farmequipment and to confirm youhavethepropercoverage.Thisway,you canbeconfident inhelpingyourneighbors. *A.M. Best Market Share Report 2020. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.©2021Nationwide Election season opens for Almond Board
seats for those spots are also open. To be considered for an independent grower or alternate seat, candidates must be a grower and must submit a petition signed by at least 15 indepen- dent almond growers, to be verified by the Almond Board. Independent handler and alternate
candidates must declare their intention in writing to the Almond Board. Petitions for candidacy should be f i led by mai l wi th ABC at 1150 9th St. , Suite 1500, Modesto, CA 95354. Potential candidates seeking more in- formation may contact Toni Arellano at tarellano@almondboard.com.
TheAlmondBoard of California is call- ing for candidates to submit petitions by April 1 to run for three board possitions in the 2022-2023 crop year. Two independent grower positions and one independent handler positionon the ABC Board of Directors are be decided in voting fromApril 21 to May 26. Alternate
18 Ag Alert February 23, 2022
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