The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is preventing injuries on Canadian farms with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) AgriCompetitiveness Program. CASA is achieving impressive results — and saving lives.
About CASA
Founded in 1993, CASA is a non-profit organization that runs awareness, prevention and training programs about farm safety. Their vision? Safe and sustainable agriculture where healthy Canadian farm communities thrive. They collaborate with suppliers, commodity groups, farm policy organizations and provincial agricultural health and safety organizations to spread their message.
An essential part of their work is changing attitudes about safety on the farm. “CASA is in the business of culture change,” explains Robin Anderson, Director of Programs and Communications at CASA.
By making farms safer, they’re contributing to the sustainability of Canada’s agriculture industry and rural communities.
Why CASA’s work is important
From 2011 to 2020:
- 624 agriculture-related fatalities in Canada
- 62 people died on average each year
- 54% of fatalities were related to machinery
- 58% of those killed were farm owners and operators
- 11% were farmers’ children
Source: Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR)
A strong partnership with AAFC
CASA has received support and funding from AAFC for over a decade, including through the AgriCompetitiveness Program. This partnership has helped the non-profit run initiatives that have positively impacted the agricultural industry. With their funding, they create and lead programs, events and campaigns, including:
- Grain safety
- Child safety on the farm
- Agriculture-related fatalities reporting database
- Canadian Agricultural Safety Week
- Annual Farm Safety Conference
Importantly, AAFC funding has helped CASA run programs that don’t typically attract sponsors. Anderson explains, “We’re not able to get sponsorship dollars for programs that deal with topics that are hard to talk about, like death and injuries. Thanks to AAFC’s support, we’re able to identify program gaps and fund initiatives that otherwise wouldn’t exist.”
Here are some of the programs that have made the biggest difference in Canada’s farm safety:
Fatal injury reporting database
Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) is CASA’s data collection project. They collaborate with partners across Canada to record and publish data on verified agricultural fatalities. The data informs injury-prevention research and programs in Canada and internationally.
“We’ve had folks from North Dakota talk about how great the CAIR data is because it helped them inform a research project. We hear things like, ‘The Canadians have the best data’.”
– Robin Anderson, Director of Programs and Communications, CASA
Decrease in farm and agriculture-related deaths
Agriculture-related deaths dropped significantly in recent years, according to CAIR data (PDF):
- 110 fatalities annually (on average) from 1990 to 2005
- 70 fatalities annually (on average) from 2006 to 2020
BeGrainSafe
BeGrainSafe was created in 2017 as a response to grain entrapment fatalities. Through the program, CASA has trained thousands of firefighters to safely extricate people when they are trapped in grain. Using their mobile BeGrainSafe trailer and a mannequin, they simulate a grain entrapment and train firefighters on rescue procedures. The program also educates people of all ages on grain safety during BeGrainSafe Week, held every August, and by lending out displays for local events.
“It’s wonderful work. The firefighters we’ve trained have saved three lives as a result of our BeGrainSafe program,” explains Anderson. “Of course, the best-case scenario is not getting entrapped in grain. That’s why the prevention side is just as important as the training side.”
Safety Days for Children
In partnership with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, CASA supports safety-focused events for children in rural communities. Safety Days for Children is the largest program of its kind in North America.
The program is tailored to each community’s needs. For example, they might have themed activities and discussions about staying safe in the sun, around chemicals or when handling animals. CASA has also created an online hub called FarmSafe Kids, where the public can find farm safety resources for children in one place.
“At CASA, we know that for many farmers, navigating health and safety can be challenging. True success is in knowing we’ve helped small farm employers navigate those challenges, and in doing so, making sure their workers and family members remain safe and healthy on the farm. Success also means making sure that children and youth are protected from harm, ensuring generations of Canadians farming on the land they love.”
– Peter Sykanda, Chair, CASA
Future plans for the safety of Canadian farms
CASA has plenty of exciting things planned for the future. They’ll continue to run existing programs, and they have several new initiatives in the works. They also plan to publish reports on sustainability, natural hazards and emergency preparedness. The findings of these reports will help inform new agricultural safety programs — keeping families safe using the latest evidence.
“Continued success for CASA means building and strengthening partnerships across the country. By sharing the information and aligning efforts, we can be sure all our farmers get the help they need through consistent and effective support. This helps avoid duplication and strengthens our collective ability to serve the agricultural industry.”
– Dean Anderson, Interim CEO, CASA
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