Olds (Rural Roots Canada) – A safe farm is not only good for business but also a good investment in your health. 

AgSafe Alberta has developed a training program to improve safety on your farm. It starts with an acronym: F.A.R.M.E.R.S C.A.R.E. The acronym identifies some of the biggest safety problem areas on the farm.

Jody Wacowich is the Executive Director for AgSafe Alberta. She explains the rationale behind the acronym and some of the hazards it represents.  

“These are the places where people get hurt the most. The injuries can be pretty significant, including falls from heights, lots of head and back injuries that will put people out for a significant amount of time, so we want to prevent those,” says Wacowich. 

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The program covers a variety of hazards that farmers face every day. 

“Level one goes through and identifies the hazards. It picks some of the low-hanging fruit to create a safer environment on your farm.” 

Level two has just been launched at Agri-Trade in Red Deer in November, while levels three, and four are currently in development. Those will focus on safety conversations with family members and farm visitors to your farm to help make the farm a safe environment for everyone to live, work, and play. 

Feedback from those that have gone through the program has been positive. Wacowich says it has generated a lot of conversation within families and communities. 

“We had a 4-H club that took this on as a 4-H project this year. The kids really enjoyed doing that with their farm.” 

For more information and to complete the training program, visit the AgSafe Alberta website.