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Canadian Ag Safety Week kicks off with $1.4 million investment
March 16, 2021 By Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
On Monday, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $1.4 million over two years to improve farm safety. The announcement helps kick off this year’s Canadian Agriculture Safety Week by providing the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) with funding to provide valuable farm safety tools and advice to Canada’s agriculture industry.
The theme for this year’s ag safety week is “Lead an AgSafe Canada”. From March 14 to March 20, CASA will showcase farm safety initiatives and programs across Canada. In addition to this annual event, CASA will continue to provide essential training and tools to farmers and stakeholders relating to existing and emerging safety concerns at the farm level.
“With this 1.4-million-dollar investment from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, CASA is in a position to continue to support initiatives and work with our partners to equip producers, their families, and their workers with the information and tools needed to make farms a safe place to live, work and play,” says Carolyn Van Den Heuvel, CASA chair. “We appreciate the continued support of AAFC and their commitment to safe and healthy farms across Canada.”
The funding, available through the AgriCompetitiveness program, will also facilitate a series of initiatives that promote farm safety for producers, their families and workers. Activities include awareness raising, community engagement, and the development and maintenance of safety resources and tools to address existing and emerging safety needs at the provincial and national level.
In addition to outreach and awareness activities, CASA will continue to provide farm safety learning opportunities to rural emergency responders and firefighters, and provide online health and safety training courses to farm workers.
Farm safety is crucial to the overall health and wellbeing of Canada’s farmers. Ensuring farmers have access to tools to protect both their mental and physical health is key to the strength and prosperity of the agriculture sector.
“Agricultural producers work in an environment that presents many safety risks. Through various training and resources, including programs designed for children, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association provides life-saving tools. This new investment from the federal government supports these excellent initiatives that protect our farm families.”
- Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food
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