Adults are the focus of 2017’s farm safety campaign
By Jennifer Jackson
Stay safe farmers – Mar. 12 to 18 is officially Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW). The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) use the annual campaign to spread awareness about the risks involved in farming and the importance of prioritizing safety.
This year, CASA and the CFA will focus on educating adults in the farming community, according to a Mar. 6 release. The campaign will encourage these adults to teach and instill good safety practices in their families and younger contacts.
“We are asking adults in the ag industry to demonstrate their commitment to farm safety this Ag Safety Week,” Marcel Hacault, executive director for CASA, said in the release. “That means leading by action, whether it’s creating safe play areas for children, or leading toolbox talks or creating your own farm safety plan. It’s the time to make a commitment to your farm, your family and yourself.”
In honour of the 2017 campaign, the CASW managers will supply numerous resources for those wanting to implement better safety practices on their farm.
Farmers who wish to create a general policy statement on farm safety and health can access a template to use. Once farmers complete the template, CASW organizers will supply them with the Canada FarmSafe Plan for free.
CASW Photo
"Farm safety is a vital concern for producers, whether they are just starting out or have many years of experience,” said Ron Bonnett, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, in the release. “Continuous learning is at the core of the agriculture sector and that’s why we’re proud to be part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week again this year. We encourage farmers to get involved so that they can access a range of farm safety tools and resources.”
Farm Credit Canada (FCC), sponsor of the CASW, believes strongly in the campaign and promoting better farm safety practices, according to Michael Hoffort, president and chief executive officer of FCC.
“Supporting safe farms by sharing information and resources helps farm families stay safe as they do the work they love. Let’s make farms safer for everyone, including children,” he said in the release.
This year, CASA and the CFA are providing a new social media feature for those wanting to participate. Members of the agricultural industry can personalize their social media account photos with an AgSafe Ribbon. Farmers are also encouraged to use the hashtag #AgSafeFamily on social media posts to spread awareness for CASW.
More information on CASW, safety resources and the social media AgSafe Ribbon is on the CASW website.
Farms.com has reached out to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association for more details regarding the week.