As well as being there when the unwanted happens, FMG also invests in providing practical advice to help prevent bad stuff from happening in the first place.
As we celebrate 120 years, we look back at our most successful advice campaign – which is still relevant today.
In 2011, FMG launched the "Stop and Pop" campaign to address the growing issue of tractor fires caused by starlings nesting under tractor bonnets.
The simple message was to regularly “Stop and Pop” the bonnet of tractors to check for debris or nests, preventing potential fires before they start.
The aim was to reduce tractor fire incidents by 10 percent within the first year, but the results far exceeded expectations dropping by an impressive 35 percent.
Leon Black of Blackdale Stud in Southland knows all too well the disruption a nest can cause. After a “Stop and Pop” in the morning before getting his day underway, he left his tractor for 40 minutes. In that time, a bird deposited nesting material under the hood. He then used the tractor again before parking up for the day.
“With no airflow to cool the exhaust system, the nest ignited. A fire started in the tractor before spreading to the covered yards, causing $100,000 in damage. If a neighbour hadn’t spotted the smoke and called the fire brigade it could have been a lot worse”.
The starlings are still at it today with over 80 percent these claims happening in Spring, so it’s important to be vigilant throughout the next nesting season.
