CALGARY, ALBERTA, May 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over the last 15 years, there has been an average of 70 fatalities on Canadian farms each year. With the vast majority of Canadian farms operated by farm families, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions (BASF) recognize that even one on-farm death is too many. To promote safety on farms, BASF is proud to support CASA in launching the first annual Kids FarmSafe Week from May 13 to 19.
“CASA plays an essential role in our industry, providing Canadian farmers and their families with the information and resources needed to make farms safer places to live, work and play,” said Leta LaRush, Vice President, Business Management at BASF.
“Fostering a safety-first mindset is incredibly important to all of us at BASF and we know this is a shared value within the agricultural community. We’re delighted to be the presenting sponsor of this inaugural national week focusing on increasing awareness and access to child-specific farm safety resources,” LaRush added.
In February 2023, CASA and Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) published a report detailing Agriculture-related Fatalities in Canada. The report found that between 1990 and 2020, 435 children were lost to agriculture-related incidents. Seeding and harvest are particularly demanding times on the farm and have been shown to have heightened risk for children, however the demand for safety awareness and advocacy is needed year-round.
These child-specific farm safety statistics, coupled with the need for continuous safety awareness, motivated BASF to advocate for farm safety for children by developing the BASF Safety Scouts program in 2021. Fostering a safety-first mindset on the farm from a young age, the BASF Safety Scouts program engages children in farm safety today, to help shape a safer, brighter tomorrow for Canadian agriculture.
BASF Safety Scouts provides kits to farm families to make learning about farm safety engaging and fun. The kits include adjustable child-sized safety vests, activity sheets, and more, and are provided to North American farm families free of charge. Available through CASA’s FarmSafe Kids site and the BASF website, two kits are offered: the BASF Safety Scout kits, designed for children aged three to six, and the BASF Safety Captain kits, designed for ages seven and up.
In support of the inaugural Kids FarmSafe Week, CASA’s FarmSafe Kids site will offer to the public a BASF Safety Scouts “Journey Through FarmLand” teaching kit and game that will teach children about safety and farm hazards as they play. Additionally, BASF is pleased to host a forum on the Experiences of Farm Mothers: Safety, Work and Children on the Farm on May 15, moderated by Tabetha Boot, Head of Communications & Industry Relations at BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions. CASA will also provide themed safety tips throughout Kids FarmSafe Week between May 13 to 19. Find more information on Kids FarmSafe Week and the week’s events through CASA.
About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division
BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, has over 625 employees who work at one of three production facilities across Canada including: Lethbridge, Saskatoon, and Regina, or one of several research farms across the Canadian prairies. Agricultural Solutions is the largest division of BASF Canada Inc., working closely with the regional Agricultural Solutions team, collaborating on research and product development that benefits North American growers. To find out more about BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions, visit www.agsolutions.ca or follow us on X and Instagram.
Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €944 million in 2023, we continue to invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2023, our division generated sales of €10.1 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $20.5 billion in 2023. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.
