The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched an agriculture e-mail bulletin to update farmers and others about the latest health and safety issues.

Aimed at farmers, farm managers, land owners, trade associations and unions, HSE's Agriculture E-bulletin will be issued free to subscribers roughly every three months, giving brief information on topical issues with links to more detailed articles on the HSE website.

Chris Molde, from HSE's Agriculture and Food Sector, said: "More and more farmers are accessing the internet. We have launched the Agriculture E-bulletin as it's an effective means of communicating information quickly. As well as informing those in agriculture about current health and safety issues, we'll also use the E-bulletin to remind farmers about seasonal safety issues, such as precautions to take when crop spraying or harvesting."

The first E-bulletin was issued in April. Some of the topics covered included: * New regulations on working at height * Tree climbing research should prevent accidents * Dust masks - what you need to know * Are you struggling with cattle handling? * Recent prosecutions in the agriculture sector

There are already over 500 subscribers. The actual number receiving the E-bulletin is much higher, as many subscribers are trade associations who forward it to their members.

Some feedback received to date is as follows:

"The first edition is very readable, well presented and contains exactly the type of information I expected. I will distribute E-copies to my colleagues and no doubt we will use some of the information, especially that on recent prosecutions, to highlight issues within our own teaching areas. Well done HSE to have made a smooth transition into the E-world." "Thank you for your first issue. This is a good way to inform us of new regulations coming into force or to highlight other safety issues." "I think this is excellent, lots of good, useful information."

To subscribe to the Agriculture E-bulletin, visit the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/ebulletins.htm