Farm Safety

March 16, 2018 | Marie Versteeg

This week has been Agricultural Safety Week in Canada. Ag Safety Week is supported by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), which works to raise awareness of on-farm risks and provide resources to help farmers improve farm safety.

This year’s focus has been on seniors. Senior farmers are so experienced, they could do the work in their sleep. But according to statistics from Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR), from 2003-2012, the number of agriculture-related fatalities was highest for older adults, aged 60 to 69.

It’s easy to become complacent when performing routine tasks, no matter how old you are. But seniors often face an additional risk by expecting to perform the same demanding duties they did at a younger age.

Stress and mental distraction also increase the risk of physical injury. Here is where seniors have a critical role to play in improving on-farm safety. According to a report by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, if seniors take the lead by promoting mental health and wellness, younger farmers are much more likely to follow suit.

Mental health among farmers has garnered a lot of public attention recently. It’s no wonder, when studies show that “stress, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion and burnout are all higher among farmers than among other groups.” Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton’s recent research on mental health among famers has brought the critical nature of this issue to light locally.

Now, Jones-Bitton, a professor at the University of Guelph, is working with partners to equip agricultural service providers, like animal nutritionists, veterinarians and agronomists, to identify and respond to mental health issues among producers.

Producers are much more likely to turn to service providers, who understand farming, than to seek help from professionally trained counsellors. In response, Jones-Bitton’s team is working with stakeholders to launch a mental health literacy program this summer. The pilot project is aimed at service providers and is designed to equip them to identify producers who are struggling with mental health and to have effective conversations with them. It’s like a Mental Health First Aid course geared toward the specific needs of farmers.

This is an important step in a larger plan for reducing stigma and equipping Canadian farmers with mental health literacy and stronger support.

Agricultural Safety Week is a good reminder to review farm safety—including mental health and wellness—on your own farm before the busy season of spring planting hits. Please check out the resources available to you at agsafetyweek.ca, including resources on How to Support Seniors and Conducting a Job Safety Analysis. You can also visit the CFFO’s online advice centre for information on mental health support for farmers.

We wish everyone a safe and healthy farming season ahead.

The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKXFM Chatham, CKNX Wingham, and UCB Canada radio stations in Chatham, Belleville, Bancroft, Brockville and Kingston. It is also archived on the CFFO website, www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,000 family farmers across Ontario.