Adults top of mind this Canadian Agricultural Safety Week

Farmers encouraged to lead by action

Adults top of mind this Canadian Agricultural Safety Week
Lloyd Giles climbs up onto his combine during the annual harvest, on a 160-acre field south of High River, Alta., Sept. 28, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Sturk

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW), an annual public awareness campaign focusing on the importance of safe agriculture, is underway, running from March 12-18. This year, organizers want to empower farm families with the information they need to help keep everyone safe on the farm while preserving the farming lifestyle.

 

“We are asking adults in the ag industry to demonstrate their commitment to farm safety this ag safety week,” said Marcel Hacault, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. “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.”

 

As a part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, organizers have produced a number of resources, including a template for building a general policy statement for farm safety and health. CASA is also making available, free of charge, the Canada FarmSafe Plan.

 

"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. “Continuous learning is at the core of the agriculture sector… We encourage farmers to get involved.”

 

New for CASW 2017, is the AgSafe Ribbon campaign. This campaign aims to raise awareness on the importance of safe agriculture and asks all Canadians what role they play in farm safety.

 

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week takes place every year during the third week of March.