OTTAWA — Funding shortfalls for farm safety programs and research challenges safety initiatives, delegates were told during the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association’s annual conference Oct. 7-9.
Dr. Jim Dosman of the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture said funding for groups like CASA needs to be enhanced, not cut.
“The lack of funds for applied research makes it difficult to monitor partnerships between research and prevention,” he said, citing the need for ongoing studies in an increasingly technological agricultural workplace.
CASA has previously received $1.3 million in annual federal funding, but that’s been reduced to $600,000 and has forced the group to find at least that much from other sources.
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“We knew there would be a reduction; we didn’t expect it to be that much,” said CASA executive director Marcel Hacault.
He said it means more leg work for the group in building relationships with agribusiness, government and other organizations.
He said the group’s situation is not unique, noting other organizations have faced similar funding shortfalls, including 4-H and the Outstanding Young Farmers Program.
He said the funding change is a mixed blessing, with CASA now able to lobby government, something that wasn’t possible when it was the sole funder.
In addition, the change has led to new relationships with associations, such as Progressive Agriculture Safety Days and agribusiness, which are already engaged with farmers.
“Farmers like to get messages from groups they do business with already,” Hacault said.
Henry Vissers, executive director of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, stressed the need to maintain a base level of funding.
He said the change in funding means there is no support for farmers to make their farms safer.
“There’s no immediate gain in putting farm safety practices in place on a farm, so any kind of incentive to help them to do it is a good thing,” he said, citing his organization’s plans to secure funds from the Nova Scotia government.
Denis Bilodeau, outgoing CASA chair, said reduced finances for a national organization is limiting, but the group will continue with its mandate.
