Contingency planning in farm practice

Background: A farm, like any other business, needs to be resilient in order to cope with the challenges of everyday life. However, farms often face additional and distinct challenges beyond those of a typical business. As part of the farm team and often in the role of trusted adviser, veterinary surgeons may be involved in delivering bad news or handling challenging outcomes. Vets are also well placed to provide advice and to support the farm team with changes to mitigate issues recurring in future. Aim of the article: This article provides an overview of contingency planning for farms and looks at examples of how vets may assist in this area. The aim is to guide vets who find themselves in similar challenges or who need to apply their knowledge and skills to navigate unfamiliar scenarios.