young farmer by truck filling with grain

Summer Farm Employment Program deadline looming

Applications processed on a first-come, first-served basis until May 31

Reading Time: < 1 minute Time is running out to get funding from the Summer Farm Employment Program. The provincial program offers wage support for farmers who employ youth during July and August. Employers must own or rent a farming operation in Alberta and have a gross production of $25,000 per year. Work must be directly related to the farming […] Read more

Susan Schafers

Egg Farmers chair would like to see safety legislation, training and tracking

Election 2015: Comprehensive safety training programs needed for producers

Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm safety in Alberta needs some work — and Susan Schafers has a few ideas. “We in the industry want to make sure that all producers and all employees have a better concept of farm safety and how to improve safety levels on their farms,” said the chair of Egg Farmers of Alberta. While there […] Read more


WHMIS labels

Dealing with hazardous materials on farms

Website has user-friendly info on handling anhydrous ammonia, disinfectants, 
compressed gases, and other hazardous farm materials

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, or WHMIS, is more than just a short course for workers handling pure chemicals. WHMIS is a Canada-wide system that communicates the dangers and other information about hazardous materials used in the workplace. It does this through labels on containers of hazardous materials, safety data sheets (SDS) with detailed […] Read more

A quiet back road is one thing, but hauling equipment on public roads can be hazardous.

Think safety before taking farm equipment on the road

Thirteen per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic related, and most involve tractors

Reading Time: < 1 minute Spring often means taking equipment on public roads, and that can be a hazardous business. According to the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting program, 13 per cent of farm-related fatalities across Canada are traffic related, and most involve tractors. “Maintenance is a contributing factor to the safety of transporting farm equipment,” said Kenda Lubeck, farm safety […] Read more


Be the difference as a farm employer

Reading Time: < 1 minute Like any business, farms require the same commitment to succeed — hard work, good products and of course, a commitment to safety. One hallmark of a successful business is an engaged and well-trained workforce. Training employees is good business. Well-trained, safe and healthy employees are essential for the smooth functioning of any farm. The loss […] Read more

Jocelyne Handfield Rheaume, who lost her husband to a work-related farm injury, is featured on a video prepared for Quebec’s Farm Health and Safety Week. (SiOnSavait.ca)

Ag Safety Week urges farmers to “be the difference”

Acting to improve a farm’s safety systems before a problem appears is the focus of this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, beginning Sunday. The week, running March to 21 in a co-promotion between the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and the Federation of Agriculture (CFA) with sponsorship from Farm Credit Canada, is themed “Be the Difference.” […] Read more


ATVs seem stable, but most children and youth are not physically or developmentally ready before age 16 to ride them safely.

It’s not easy saying no, but ATVs aren’t meant for kids

Wheatland County farmer and pediatric nurse Sarah Schultz says she’s seen too many kids injured in ATV accidents

Reading Time: 2 minutes Does an idyllic childhood in the country have to involve quads? For Moose Jaw, Sask., farmer Julie-Anne Howe and other safety-minded parents, the answer is no. Of allowing her children to ride quads, “it’s just not a smart decision in my world,” Howe says. Most jurisdictions do not restrict children from operating quads or all-terrain […] Read more

Concerns about kids and quads

Follow these basic safety precautions to reduce their risk

Reading Time: < 1 minute Like bicycles, motorcycles and snowmobiles, ATVs are designed to be controlled in part by the rider’s shifting body weight, both front and back, and side to side. While ATVs may seem deceptively stable and easy to operate, most children and youth are not physically or developmentally ready before age 16 to ride them safely. And […] Read more


Funding for Rural and Farm Safety Days

Reading Time: < 1 minute Ag for Life and The Co-operators are partnering on a new three-year partnership in support of rural and farm safety education programming in Alberta. The Co-operators is providing $75,000 to support the expansion of Rural and Farm Safety Days across the province, with Ag for Life providing safety education to youth. Ag for Life brings […] Read more

farmers in reflective vests

Canadians urged to be farm safety champions

Be the Difference theme of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week 2015, which runs from March 15-21


Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadians are being encouraged to become farm safety champions as a part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week 2015, which runs from March 15-21. This year’s theme is Be the Difference, and organizers want to inspire all Canadians to become farm safety champions through champion testimonials, farmer resources and a social media contest. “This year, we […] Read more