Winnipeg, MB (Rural Roots Canada) – The federal government is investing more than $1 million in programs aimed at improving health and safety on Canadian farms.
The announced funding of up to $1.07 million over two years for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) will support safety campaigns, training programs and injury-prevention research intended to reduce risks for farmers, their families and agricultural workers across the country.
“A strong agricultural sector depends on the well-being of its workforce,” said Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, in a statement. “Reducing on-farm risks protects lives and builds a more sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.”
Existing initiatives receiving funding support include Canadian Agricultural Safety Week and Kids FarmSafe Week. It will also help expand the organization’s BeGrainSafe program, which provides education about the hazards of working with grain and trains local firefighters in grain-rescue techniques.
CASA says the funding will also be used to develop mental-health resources and safety tools for women in agriculture, as well as collect injury data that could be used to find new ways of preventing farm accidents.
Related: CASA urges safety surrounding rural railways
CASA executive director Sandra Miller said sustained investment and collaboration are needed to improve agricultural safety.
“At CASA, we know that meaningful progress in agricultural safety requires collaboration and sustained investment,” said Miller. “This funding commitment enables us to deliver programs and resources that help prevent injuries, save lives, and strengthen the safety culture across Canada’s agricultural sector. Together, we are creating a Canada where no one is harmed in agriculture.”
Federal figures show agriculture-related fatalities have declined over time. An average of 110 deaths per year were recorded between 1990 and 2005, compared with 70 annually between 2006 and 2020, a decrease of 36 percent.
Children and young people remain among those at risk.
From 2006 to 2020, an average of nine children and youth died each year as a result of agriculture-related injuries.
