“Emergency preparedness on farms isn’t an option — it’s essential,” said CASA executive director Sandra Miller in a news release on Wednesday.

Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) has launched a new online Emergency Preparedness Hub, which collects information and resources in one place to help farmers prepare for crises. It contains tools developed by CASA and other organizations and links to province and sector-specific resources.

Tools cover preparedness across the four listed sectors: cattle, pork, poultry and sheep. They cover issues like natural disasters, extreme weather, biosecurity and outbreak managementand how to deal with protests and trespassers on the farm.

Sector-specific information is provided by partnered organizations Canadian Cattle Association, Ontario Pork, Poultry Industry Council and Ontario Sheep Farmers.

Links to emergency plans from federal, provincial and territorial government websites contain information on emergency preparedness in different jurisdictions.

The launch of the Emergency Preparedness Hub coincides with CASA’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, March 15-21.

The Emergency Preparedness Hub is now available online.

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The vision, along with the group’s new mission statement of promoting a “culture of agricultural safety that protects people through knowledge sharing, support, and meaningful connections” comes as part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week, March 15-21.

“This new mission and vision, it’s not just a symbolic change,” said Sandy Miller, CASA’s executive director.

“Agriculture is one of Canada’s most hazardous industries, and we’ve made a lot of progress, but there are still too many preventable injuries and fatalities happening in farming.”

WHY IT MATTERS: Agriculture is one of Canada’s most dangerous job sectors, with more than 60 fatalities per year as a result of agriculture-related injuries

Miller said the choice of the word ‘harm’ in the new vision was a deliberate one to highlight both physical and mental health risks.

“It’s not just farmers getting injured stepping over PTOs,” she said. “There were so many other factors to be considered.”

“CASA’s role has always been about sharing knowledge to keep people safe, so we really wanted to be explicit in our role as an opportunity to drive cultural change.”

The evolution of farm safety

Cultural changes can be difficult to drive, but Miller said the conversation around farm safety and wellness has evolved before.

“Just looking at (mental health), I think there’s been a huge shift in terms of resources that are available, the conversations that are being had, the lessened stigma,” she said. “Are we there yet? No, but do I see progress? Absolutely.”

“When I think back to as recently as, let’s say, 2015-2016, very few farmers were talking about mental health,” she said. “We would say stress rather than mental health, because we were trying to ease our way into reducing some stigma.”

There have also been improvements on physical safety issues over time, like tractor rollover, Miller added.

CASA’s new vision reflect a focus on collaborative, positive solutions, the organization said in a March 16 news release.

Part of that collaborative approach involves working with provincial partners like AgSafe B.C. and federations of agriculture in Ontario, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Miller added CASA is nearly finished crafting a 2026-29 strategic plan, which will translate the new priorities into action.

Practical measures

Miller added there are practical measures producers can take on their own farms which reflect this idea of practical solutions.

“Take step back and, just as you would do a circle check of your tractor, do a circle check of your farm,” she said.

She urged farmers to take a clear and honest look at what needs to be fixed, changed or replaced to protect themselves, their families, workers and neighbours.

Miller noted that CASA offers free courses and resources on farm safety.

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That’s according to speakers at a March 5 webinar hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), which honoured 2026 as the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer and International Women’s Day, which is celebrated March 8.

The mental strain of shifting roles

Women often play multiple roles on a farm over the course of the day. This can take its toll mentally said Lauren Van Ewyk, CEO and Co-Founder of National Farm Mental Health Alliance.

“Typically, we think of producers as primary, secondary and tertiary producers,” she said, “and women typically fall into all three of those categories in many settings, in agriculture.”

Van Ewyk gave an example from her own experience.

“I’ll be in the barn, lambing out ewes,” she said. “We have a foster daughter who has brain cancer, so I’ll be getting a phone call from the school navigating medical care while I’m making sure that my lambs are getting what they need.”

She cited a study which stated self-reported mental health among rural women declined, “more than urban women, more than urban men, more than rural men,” post-COVID. This could have to do with the many burdens they shoulder on the farm.

She said there is research to suggest women often take on the role of their male partner’s emotional support. Men in Canada are less likely to seek professional help than women.

Different physical strains

The strains of this balancing act can also be physical, not just mental said Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture farm safety co-ordinator Adelaide Amuah.

“Because women are physiologically and anatomically different, have different bodies from males, we stand a higher risk of sprains and strains or musculoskeletal diseases,” she said.

“Taking care of the family, doing the books, using the equipment, machinery, playing so many roles on the farm means that this has higher stress on your muscles, your nerves, even when it comes to rest, you don’t have enough.”

These risks may not be immediately apparent. Effects could only show up later in life.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is also often made with men in mind, which can create issues when women use it.

“There’s lots of different body shapes, body sizes, body strengths, working on farms now,” said Alanna Coneybeare, vice president of Conlee Farms near Listowel, Ont. “So, having safety equipment that is suitable for everybody to use, I think, is something that is definitely overlooked on a lot of farms.”

Amuah said issue this can lead to women farmers using PPE that is uncomfortable or even dangerous.

“Imagine having a coverall,” she said. “It’s too loose, that means that it might get caught up in a machine, or get caught up in equipment, or if it’s too tight, you are not able to move freely in them.”

The role of mentorship, peer support

Unique challenges can create shared experiences, however, and those shared experiences can lead to mentorships, which the speakers said are crucial for women in agriculture.

“Women, we do have different lived experiences,” said Coneybeare. “We can have really fantastic male mentors who have a plethora of expertise and can really help our career as well, but I think there is a special need for kind of women to help other women as well.”

These conversations can lead to women supporting one another.

“If you gain something, I also gain something, the industry gains something.”

Knowing how and where to seek out these relationships is a key first step, Coneybeare said. This is especially important in agriculture, which does not have the same introductory mechanisms as other industries.

Van Ewyk said women need to be willing to step up, even if it involves confrontation.

“Globally, there’s women all around the world in agriculture who suffer because they’re a woman in ag,” she said. “So ideally, it’s to kind of link arms with one another.”

She encouraged those seeking mentorship to reach out to their local chamber of commerce, many of which have mentorship programs.

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At the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association’s (CASA) 2025 Conference, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) Agriculture Consultant Kristin Hoffman gave tips for staying mentally and physically safe during one of the most important times of year for farmers.

Here are some of the key pieces of advice from Hoffman’s presentation:

Know the pressure and know your limits.

Hoffman said preparation and maintenance are key during the harvest, not just for machinery but for people as well.

“As you prepare your equipment, prepare yourself for the work,” she said. “Acknowledge that this is a high-pressure season, which requires us to really prepare.”

She said in the high-pressure environment of the harvest, it is more important than ever to keep an eye on basic needs like rest, hydration and nutrition.

“Some of the essentials of life become even more important during this season, when the two hours we thought we might (take) becomes four, six, eight and more,” she said.

“Ensure that … you have that sandwich for a break at some point throughout those many hours of harvest when you’re out in the field.”

Stay connected

Another way to stay safe during working hours is to be connected with trusted individuals like family members at all times, not only as emergency contacts but as someone you can check in with during the day.

Hoffman said it helps to share your location with that person “so that if you didn’t get home for dinner at the time that individual might expect and there isn’t an answer, they know whereabouts you might be.”

Farmers should be prepared for emergency situations in their equipment as well, and Hoffman suggested having emergency service numbers on hand, as well as equipment like fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

Know your route, prepare your equipment

Preparation and inspection of equipment and routes before leaving is also crucial for harvest safety. This can include being aware of surroundings and potential hazards on roads, including overhead wires and shoulders that can’t bear the load of heavy equipment.

Hoffman said even in cases where equipment would normally be within the necessary size limits, infrastructure like wires can age and droop dangerously close to the machine.

One of the ways she suggested to prepare is driving your expected route during daylight hours in a regular vehicle.

“How much width do you have, how much height do you have? Consider what you are going to be powering along those roads. Will it fit? And could there become challenges across narrow bridges or areas without shoulders?”

“When possible, choose those roads that are relatively low-traffic (and) give you all of the dimension requirements that you need,” she said. “Consider having an assistant along with you when you are traveling on the roads, to be sure that you’ve got eyes on front and rear.”

Farmers should also prepare their equipment with everything necessary for the day’s work before leaving the farm or the home. Part of this is to ensure visibility.

“Be seen. Light yourself up as you might in the Christmas or Halloween season on your equipment, no matter the time of year that you are traveling upon the roads.”

“I’ll recommend to you … place a (slow-moving vehicle sign) on every piece, the power unit as well as all of the implements.”

Hoffman said to be aware of your lights while travelling on roads, as rear lights could be distracting or dangerous for other drivers.

“Imagine coming up to a vehicle in your lane from the rear and two white lights are pointed back at you. You might interpret that there is a car travelling the wrong direction.”

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“We acknowledge that reality television aims to entertain, but it is crucial that such portrayals do not inadvertently glamorize or normalize serious risks,” said Andrea Lear, CASA’s Chief Executive Officer in a news release yesterday. “We urge media producers to consult with safety experts and consider the real-life consequences of their depicted tasks.”

In fifth episode of the show’s current season, contestants are made to climb into grain trailers that are anywhere from two-thirds to three-quarters of the way full of oats. They then had to dig through the grain to find a hidden object.

Contestants were shown wading and digging through the grain for a prolonged period.

“It’s pretty deep,” a contestant said at one point.

CASA pointed out that wading in deep grain could lead to become partially or fully engulfed in grain, which can have deadly consequences. Between 2011 and 2020, 27 people died due to asphyxiation in grain or soil, the organization said.

In 2015, three children died while playing on a truck loaded with canola. According to a CBC article from the time, the girls fell into the back of the truck and suffocated after they became buried in the canola.

Since 2017, CASA has been working to raise awareness of the dangers of grain entrapment and has trained firefighters on how to rescue people trapped in grain.

In its first season, The Amazing Race Canada had contestants perform a similar task in which they searched through trailers full of lentils.

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For instance, more than two thirds of Canadian women who farm struggle to find safety apparel and personal protective equipment that fits them, said the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association in a recent report.

Thirty-nine per cent said women’s safety apparel is more expensive than men’s, and 42 per cent said machinery isn’t designed with women in mind.

The report draws on data from a broader study, which CASA co-funded, of Canadian farm women’s experiences. That study, which included a survey of more than 1,000 farming women, was published in February.

“Women are pivotal to safety plans on the farm,” CASA wrote.

Forty-six per cent of farming women said they were responsible for creating and implementing a farm safety plan, and 42 per cent said they were “constantly reminding people on their farm about safety issues.”

A quarter of women surveyed said their farm would have no focus on safety. Twenty-nine per cent said that others on the farm don’t respect their opinion regarding health and safety.

Safety of children was a top concern for farm women. Sixty-four per cent said caring for children due to a lack of daycare was concerning from a safety standpoint.

Safety was identified as a common stressor for women. Sixty-five per cent said they experienced stress when they thought about potential injury on the farm.

Fifty per cent said stress related to the farm was negatively affecting their health.

Nearly 60 per cent of women said they thought women should be included in safety training more often.

Thirty-eight per cent of women said they were concerned by health hazards specifically related to childbearing due to farm obligations.

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The company’s funding will purchase GSI RES-Q-TUBE and Haul-ALL pencil augers for eligible fire departments that have taken part in BeGrainSafe training put on by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).

The GSI RES-Q-TUBE is a rescue tube and the pencil auger helps move grain when needed and are considered essential to rescuing someone from a grain bin, an area of increasing farm sector concern.

The BeGrainSafe program includes a mobile demonstration unit and has seen firefighters trained on grain entrapment rescue. Now the organization can supply these fire departments with needed rescue equipment.

Corteva’s support will purchase a GSI RES-Q-TUBE and a Haul-ALL pencil auger for eligible rural fire departments that have taken part in BeGrainSafe training.

The grain rescue tube and portable auger are essential in rescuing a person trapped in grain. When used in combination, the grain rescue tube creates a barrier between the victim and the grain while the auger helps rescuers quickly move the grain away from the potential victim.

“Having a grain rescue tube and a portable auger available to fire departments trained in grain extrication greatly increases the probability of a victim surviving a grain entrapment,” Robert Gobeil, CASA’s agricultural health and safety specialist, said.

“Handling grain is an everyday occurrence in the agriculture industry, meaning unexpected grain incidents can happen at any moment,” said Kris Allen, communications leader for Corteva Agriscience Canada.

“We’re proud to work with CASA on this important initiative that equips rural fire departments with the tools they need to keep Canadian growers and their families safe.”

More information about BeGrainSafe, including firefighter training, is available online. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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On the farm, there are many everyday tasks that could result in injuries to feet or ankles if the proper footwear is not used. Footwear is a key aspect of injury prevention, which is why it’s important to wear the right type to ensure your safety. Make sure you’re using footwear that meets specific safety standards by always selecting CSA-approved footwear, which can be identified by a green triangle (usually found on the right foot).

When it comes to tasks that involve heavy lifting, safety footwear with a steel or composite toe should be worn any time there’s a chance of your foot being struck by or pinched between objects. And in situations where your foot could be injured by an object falling on top of it, use safety footwear with metatarsal guards on the tongue.

For jobs that involve electrical work, select footwear that has an electrical insulator (dielectric), which will provide resistance against electric shock. To identify this type of footwear, look for an orange Greek letter omega symbol (which resembles an upside-down horseshoe).

There’s no question that producers work in all kinds of different conditions. When working in wet or muddy conditions, rubber boots are an obvious choice for keeping feet dry. It’s a good idea to clean any mud and debris from your boots at the end of the day in order to maintain grip and avoid tracking debris. You can also prevent slips and falls on wet, oily, snow-covered, or icy surfaces by wearing footwear with an anti-slip outsole to maintain maximum traction. Keep in mind that while overshoe attachments (like cleats or crampons) might be useful for icy conditions, they can be hazardous to wear on dry, hard surfaces.

When working on uneven surfaces, select footwear with a tall upper and laces all the way to the top of the boot, which will help to support your ankle and prevent injury from rolling it.

If you have torn or damaged footwear that you think you could get a couple of extra months out of, you might want to think again. Leaky rubber boots don’t just lead to cold, wet feet; they could potentially expose you to chemicals and other hazardous substances. Rather than take any chances, replace damaged footwear as soon as possible.

Because footwear is such an important part of injury prevention on the farm, these requirements should be listed as mandatory personal protective equipment in the safe work procedures part of your safety management system. Don’t forget to discuss the footwear requirements for specific jobs with workers during orientation.

Always assess the conditions and potential hazards that you’ll be working in and select the right type of footwear for the job. Wearing the proper footwear will help ensure your safety, which means less risk of injury and more productive work.

Robert Gobeil is the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association’s ag health and safety specialist.

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Glen Blahey of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) talks about the BEGRAINSAFE unit that was on display and demonstrated to attendees at Ag Days. While the unit on this video is on loan from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety in Iowa, CASA is building its own grain entrapment demo unit that it plans to take on the road to shows and events to teach farmers and emergency responders about grain safety.

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The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) in partnership with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) is now offering a Back to Ag Program.

The Back to Ag Program provides funding to support the cost of adaptive technology to Canadian farmers who have experienced a traumatic injury. “CASA is thrilled that through Back to Ag, we can help injured farmers return to farm work safely and productively,” says Glen Blahey, CASA’s agricultural health and safety specialist.

This marks the third round of funding made available to injured farmers.

Eleven projects across Canada have already been supported by the Back to Ag Program, including adaptive technology like a sit-to-stand wheelchair, modifications to stairs and livestock-handling facilities, and lifts. Recipients have been from six provinces in Canada.

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, a Canadian resident, have experienced a traumatic injury and are able to show their need and demonstrate how the adaptive technology will help them to return to work on the farm.

Applications will be accepted until December 21, 2015. For more information or to apply please visit casa-acsa.ca and click on Grants, call CASA at 877-452-2272 or email backtoag@casa-acsa.ca.

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