News

Cornish Mutual has been putting farmers and the wider farming community across the South West at the heart of all it does since 1903. And the start of 2025 takes this to a new level.

You and everyone who works for you needs to know how to work safely and without putting themselves at risk. This includes contractors and the self-employed working on your farm. Adequate information and training are essential parts of an employers’ health & safety obligations and should be part of your farm health & safety policy.

Six agricultural students in the South West have been awarded Cornish Mutual Young Farmer Bursaries, with one of them also winning the prestigious Cornish Mutual South West Agricultural Student of the Year award.

Professor Sally Shortall has studied farming families around the world and her view remains the same. Women are vital for successful farming businesses but continue to be an under-valued resource.

Struck by the lack of women working alongside her in the meat industry, Laura Ryan set up Meat Business Women in 2015. It is now a global phenomenon.

Featuring in an episode of our Farming Focus podcast, BBC journalist Anna Jones and communications specialist Kendra Hall explain why storytelling and public relations is vital to the industry’s future.

Molly Leigh's application secured her the 2022 Bicton College Young Farmer Bursary - find out more about Molly's entry into farming and her plans for the future.

Grace Harding has won our 2022 Bridgwater & Taunton College Young Farmer Bursary - find out more about Grace's farming ambitions here.

Cornish Mutual has been putting farmers and the wider farming community across the South West at the heart of all it does since 1903. And the start of 2025 takes this to a new level.

You and everyone who works for you needs to know how to work safely and without putting themselves at risk. This includes contractors and the self-employed working on your farm. Adequate information and training are essential parts of an employers’ health & safety obligations and should be part of your farm health & safety policy.

Business owners are often encouraged to spend less time in their business and more time on it to realise its full potential and see it grow but struggle do it. Both involved with ‘all things people’, Nuffield scholars Anna Bowen and Izak van Heerden discuss how to make it happen through good leadership. Prioritising time to focus on strategy rather than remaining stuck in the immediate day-to-day demands of farming is not easy to do but essential for business success according to Izak van Heerden.

There are two sets of legislation covering farm machinery and equipment, namely the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

With 97% of businesses run by families, and an alarming number of farmers going out of business, understanding as much about your family as your business is vital for success

The problem above all in a business is decision making. A family charter brings everybody together, adds transparency, builds communication and creates trust.

Agriculture can be a solitary environment, and when compounded by the stress of constant uncertainty, it’s not surprising that mental health can fall by the wayside.

ATVs are an invaluable workhorse on almost every UK farm, but over the last two years, 20% of on-farm fatalities have involved these types of vehicles – five quad bike deaths occurring in just the last six months. They are also a common target of organised crime.

Cornish Mutual has been putting farmers and the wider farming community across the South West at the heart of all it does since 1903. And the start of 2025 takes this to a new level.

You and everyone who works for you needs to know how to work safely and without putting themselves at risk. This includes contractors and the self-employed working on your farm. Adequate information and training are essential parts of an employers’ health & safety obligations and should be part of your farm health & safety policy.

Six agricultural students in the South West have been awarded Cornish Mutual Young Farmer Bursaries, with one of them also winning the prestigious Cornish Mutual South West Agricultural Student of the Year award.

Professor Sally Shortall has studied farming families around the world and her view remains the same. Women are vital for successful farming businesses but continue to be an under-valued resource.

Struck by the lack of women working alongside her in the meat industry, Laura Ryan set up Meat Business Women in 2015. It is now a global phenomenon.

Featuring in an episode of our Farming Focus podcast, BBC journalist Anna Jones and communications specialist Kendra Hall explain why storytelling and public relations is vital to the industry’s future.

The winning agriculture students for the 2022 Young Farmer Bursaries have been chosen - find out more about this year's winners.

Our new Health & Safety Service provides comprehensive support for managing your farm's health and safety requirements, through assessments by our specialist team, regular visits and expert advice. Click to find out more.