27 July 2003
PR146/2003
Farmer Commitment to Reducing Accidents
The 6,000 farmers who have attended FarmSafe courses are indicative of the rural sector's commitment to reducing on farm
accidents, says Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) Vice President Charlie Pedersen.
"The FarmSafe Programme is a one day interactive seminar bought to farmers by Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) and
ACC, in association with Agriculture ITO, Agriculture New Zealand and Telford Rural Polytechnic which provides a
practical and user friendly approach to injury prevention.
"The Federation is taking injury prevention very seriously and strives to raise awareness of injury prevention through
FarmSafe and participation in the Agricultural Health and Safety Committee which has developed Guidelines for the Safe
Use of ATVs on New Zealand farms.
"It is very pleasing that ATV deaths on farms have reduced from eight in the twelve months to June 2002 to three in the
past twelve months.
"However farmers cannot become complacent, the emotional, physical and financial costs of on farm accidents are still
too high."
ENDS