One of the reasons some small farmers choose to live on a farm is because of the strong family values developed within farm families. And of course keeping our children safe on the farm is always a top priority for farm families.
The first-ever Kids FarmSafe Week, taking place May 13–19, is proudly introduced by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).
The goal of this innovative program is to "Nurturing the Future of Agriculture" by supporting the health and safety of young people who work in agriculture.
According to data from the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR), 435 youth deaths were caused by farm-related events between 1990 and 2020.
The CEO of CASA, Andrea Lear, says that “One child or youth lost to an on-farm incident is one too many. Tragically, children and youth are often the victims of farming-related accidents,”.
Kids FarmSafe Week was established in response to these concerning statistics in an effort to greatly increase public awareness of the risks that farms can present to the younger population.
The campaign week focuses on farm safety themes like machinery use, youth mental health, falls prevention, animal safety, and drowning prevention, with a webinar providing additional safety practices insights.
Assuring that safety continues to be a top priority in all Canadian agriculture practices, this new annual campaign is an essential step in protecting our future farmers. Go to kidsfarmsafe.ca to learn more and to register for the webinar.