“We want everyone to come home to the family dinner table at the end of each day," says Mike Ammeter, Chair of Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA). “That's why farm safety is always on our minds; we really never stop thinking about it."
From March 13-19 Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is celebrating Canadian Agricultural Safety Week. Annually, CASA sets aside the third week of March to remind everyone involved in agriculture to value #FarmSafetyEveryday! This year's campaign Your Farm, Your Family, Your Success resonates with Ammeter.
“I farm with my family, and I have five grandchildren who I want to see grow up," says Ammeter. “To make sure we're all safe on the farm, we need to be proactive when it comes to farm safety."
Ammeter remembers how he was encouraged to bury the power lines on his farm years ago and he's always cognizant of who and what's around him when moving farm equipment.
“Simple things like evaluating the weather, the daylight conditions, the traffic, and having a pilot vehicle is important when you're getting ready to move equipment during seeding or harvest."
“The technology we carry around in our pockets has really helped agriculture be more safety-wise," says Ammeter. “With a quick text message, I can check in with the rest of my farm crew who may be miles from the farmyard. It's a great way to stay in touch and reach out if anyone needs help."
Ammeter acknowledges that the busy planting season that is just around the corner means farmers are going to be working long hours and rushing to get the crop planted. “We all need to remember that our farm and our families thrive when we all take responsibility to make farm-safe decisions every day."
As a Friend of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week CCGA encourages everyone working in Canada's amazing agriculture industry to think farm safety this planting season!
For more information about Canadian Agricultural Safety Week and the importance of ag safety, visit www.casa-acsa.ca/en/canadian-agricultural-safety-week/