RURAL EDGE is the recipient of the second highest grant amount in the country from the Federal government's National Farm Safety Education Fund, focussed on improving farm safety practices.
A not for profit organisation that provides professional development and training workshops for farming businesses, Rural Edge was awarded a $261,048 grant for its National Online Farm Safety Training program late last year.
The training program, which utilises peer-to-peer learning and regular check-ins, aims to educate and support farmers towards improved safety outcomes, with participants given the tools to create farm safety plans for their individual businesses.
The newly developed online program utilises content from Rural Edge's inaugural Farm Safety workshop, which has both face-to-face and online components, and was introduced about three years ago in collaboration with the CBH Group.
Due to kick off in late February and run for about a year, Rural Edge chairwoman Lucy Hall said it was timely that the online course be introduced this year.
"With our industrial manslaughter laws changing so that farmers could be facing fines of up to $5 million or even jail time, it's quite clear that the industry hasn't moved fast enough in terms of protecting its employees," Ms Hall said.
"This program will help farmers to get rid of some of the fears over what's happening under the new work health and safety legislation."
The national training program will include 16 online workshops, a follow up webinar so participants can have any of their questions answered, as well as a two hour, one-on-one coaching session with HR consultants and safety professionals ProcessWorx.
At the time of writing, Rural Edge was in the final stages of confirming the finer details of the program, but Ms Hall said the expectation was that about 15-20 people would be able to participate.
Providing a suite of other workshops including the Paperless Farm Office which supports farm businesses to streamline their office administration duties, Ms Hall said Rural Edge typically used farmers to facilitate their workshops and programs so they could provide real life examples.
"I think our farmer facilitators do tend to get greater respect from participants because they really understand where you are coming from as a farming business," she said.
The grant forms part of the Federal government's $1.6 million commitment to improve farm safety, with Rural Edge one of nine successful applicants.
The projects aim to develop a positive attitude shift and increase the uptake of farm safety practices around the country.
Another successful applicant was GrainGrowers Limited which was awarded a $90,000 grant to go towards the organisation's Safe use machinery portal and masterclass series.
These funds will be used to help develop and deliver a pilot program about safe machinery use in farming and updating their safety content.
The project will provide practical learning through an online portal which will include deaf, blind and multi-language options.
Another successful applicant included Central Queensland University which was awarded a $310,000 grant for its 'Next Generation Farm Safety' program, created to assist the next generation of farmers.
Designed for primary and secondary school students, the project aims for participants to develop an understanding and positive attitude towards farm safety and, as a result, lead to an increased uptake of safe practices.
- If you are interested in participating in Rural Edge's National Online Farm Safety Training program keep your eye on their website ruraledge.org.au
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