Farm safety starts with kids

A schools programme designed to improve farm safety nationally has been launched for the new year.

The Agri Aware Farm Safe Schools Programme for 2022 follows last year’s pilot programme which ran in over 500 schools across Ireland and impacted over 21,000 primary pupils.

The Farm Safe Schools Programme has three modules: Farmer and Field Safety, Animal Safety and Machinery Safety, highlighting the many risks on farms to schoolchildren.

The curriculum-linked programme aims to engage, educate and empower Irish children to become farm safety ambassadors and in doing so help create a safer, brighter future on Irish farms.

This year’s programme was launched by Minister of State with responsibility for Farm Safety at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon.

He said: “I believe children can play an important role in improving safety on farms by bringing the safety message home to their families. We should not underestimate the ability of young people to deliver real and tangible change and this programme can empower them to do so.”

Farm Safe Schools 2022 will run from February to May and is free for all schools to sign up. Schools can register at agriaware.ie.