In its commitment to enhancing rural and farm safety efforts in the province of Alberta, Agriculture for Life announces an investment of $65,000 over the next three years towards the Ag for Life Learning Corral and Barnyard and Boots Farm Safety program.
Presented by Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and Ag for Life, Barnyard and Boots will be offered to County of Grande Prairie rural grade k-4 students beginning May 2014.
“Partnering on this initiative is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of safety amongst rural children and youth,” says Ag for Life CEO, David Sprague. “Rural and farm safety education is a high priority. We need to work together to keep our farm families and communities safe.”
Located at Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities, Students will rotate through various safety stations in the Ag for Life Learning Corral where they will see demonstrations, learn key messages and interactively participate. Topic examples include animal safety, dugout and water safety, chemical, grain and machinery safety. With the support of Ag for Life, the goal for the next three years is to deliver the program to close to 1200 students annually.
“Education and awareness are the foundation of a strong culture of farm safety,” says Verlyn Olson, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This new program is a great example of how we continue to partner with community organizations to help our youth access important information and tools to keep them safe on the farm.”
Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities, an organization dedicated to the promotion of public safety, believes the delivery of the Barnyard and Boots program will raise the profile and importance of rural and farm safety among children. “We are very excited with our new partnership with Ag for Life,” says Gordon Ellert Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities Board Chair. “The sponsorship funds that Ag for Life has allocated to Grande Prairie and Area Safe Communities will go a long way to meet our goal of enhancing farm safety awareness and ultimately improving safety on farms.”
About Ag for Life
Ag for Life (Agriculture for Life) has a mandate to deliver educational programming designed to improve rural and farm safety while building public understanding around the agricultural industry. The organization brings together various sectors including agri-services, energy, financial and not-for-profit organizations, along with farmers, ranchers and community leaders.
Ag for Life is made possible through the funding and commitment of companies that employ almost 20,000 people in more than 350 Alberta communities. Founding Members include Agrium Inc., ATB Financial, ATCO Group, Penn West, Rocky Mountain Equipment, TransCanada Corporation and UFA Co-operative Limited. Contributing Members include AdFarm and Glacier FarmMedia.
Find out more at Agriculture for life
