Alberta’s ag societies and livestock auction marts are offering up pen space for producers forced to evacuate animals away from dozens of wildfires in the province’s northern and west-central regions. As of early Thursday evening, the province was tracking 76 active wildfires, of which 22 were listed as “out of control” and 17 as “being […] Read more
Alberta fairs, auctions offer space for evacuated livestock
Central areas catch break with moisture, cooler weather; CN service resumes
GRIM READING: Farms remain very dangerous workplaces
The ag industry ‘hasn’t adopted a culture of safety,’ says author of report on farm fatalities
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting recently released its latest report with data on agriculture-related fatalities between 1990 and 2020, with particular focus on 2011 to 2020. CAIR is a national surveillance program funded by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association and co-ordinated by the Injury Prevention Centre at the University of Alberta. According to the latest CAIR […] Read more
The dangers of fatigue in the busy seasons on the farm
The consequences of a southern Alberta farm employee falling asleep last fall could have been much worse
Reading Time: 4 minutes Damaged equipment is bad enough for any farmer in the middle of harvest, but a co-owner of a southern Alberta farm says they could have lost much more. KCL Cattle Company lost thousands of dollars last fall when an employee crashed into a header after a long day in the field. The header was totalled, […] Read more
Include safety in your plans before you work alone this spring
Thinking ahead and identifying hazards can help avoid potentially life-threatening situations
Reading Time: 3 minutes In recognition of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week March 12-18, here’s a sobering safety fact: 50 per cent of farm safety incidents in Canada occur when the victim is working alone. The average farmer and rancher in Alberta spends a significant amount of time working alone. Some tasks are even designed to be done alone. But […] Read more
Schoepp: We are always only a moment away from life-altering change
On farms across the country, pain and grief are all too familiar, but so are stories of perseverance and miracles
On farms across the country, pain and grief are all too familiar, but so are stories of perseverance and miracles
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is calving time on many farms. It’s normally a joyful time of the year as we receive new lives into the fold and look with hope to a season of warmer weather and green grasses. But for some families, it is also a brutal reminder of challenge, broken bodies and long recoveries. These past […] Read more
Webinars offer expert advice on making your farm safer
Reading Time: < 1 minute AgSafe Alberta is putting on a series of webinars to promote farm safety. On Jan. 31, an expert from the University of Iowa will discuss safety training for young adults and teens. Younger people are at an increased risk of injury because of developmental differences (both physical and cognitive), inexperience, fatigue and distracted behaviours. On […] Read more
American Farm Bureau, Deere sign ‘right to repair’ memo
MOU to seek private-sector solutions
Chicago | Reuters — The American Farm Bureau Federation and machinery manufacturer Deere and Co. signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday that ensures farmers have the right to repair their own farm equipment or go to an independent technician. As the agriculture sector accelerates its adoption of technology, the reliance on high-tech machinery such […] Read more
Grant aims to raise awareness of wildfire risk
Reading Time: < 1 minute Organizations can apply for a $500 grant to host a Wildfire Community Preparedness Day in their area. The ‘Prep Day’ is held on the first Saturday in May (May 6 this year) with the goal of bringing residents together to “work on projects that raise awareness of wildfire risk and increase their resilience to it.” […] Read more
Opinion: Hiding in plain sight – hazards posed by grain bins
It’s a risk that can’t be ignored. Last year, two farmers in Alberta died after falling from a grain bin
Reading Time: 2 minutes Last year, 11 people were killed on farms in Alberta. Over the past 11 years in the province, an average of just over 15 people have lost their lives each year on farms. Most were the owner/operators of the farm. We urge you to make a commitment now, to keep yourself, your family and your employees safe. […] Read more
Schoepp: Take a ‘man overboard’ approach to make your farm safer
Sailors don’t leave harbour without going over the safety plan for that day. It’s an approach farmers should also take
Reading Time: 3 minutes I learned a lot about farm safety while sailing this summer. We set off for a week of fair skies, light winds and glorious sunsets, which were delivered in breathtaking beauty. On our first day out, a Minke whale graced our port side, followed during the week by porpoises and four humpback whales. Eagles soared, […] Read more