5 JULY 2016
ICSA president Patrick Kent has said that all farmers should be able to claim back VAT on essential farm safety equipment and clothing. “Farm Safety Week is about taking practical steps to promote a safe working environment on the farm, a simple measure like this could make a big difference”, he said.
“We are talking about PTO shafts, protective clothing and gloves for spraying and protective equipment for optimising safety when using chainsaws. We do not want to see farmers skimping on these or other safety essentials but, being realistic, they are expensive for farmers who are under pressure with low commodity prices.”
“Farm Safety Week highlights the need to minimise or remove risks across the farming spectrum. At the very least we need to ease the financial burden placed on the farmer in this regard. We believe that a VAT refund for flat rate farmers would be very helpful. The Government needs to look at how it can make a contribution to farm safety”, he concluded.
ENDS
