Farm Family Council Report July 2022

1. Activity since last National Council 

• The following updates relate to Farm Safety: 

• There have been 5 farm fatalities officially recorded by HSA to date. To keep up to date on farm fatalities click here. 
• Farm Safety Week 2022 will take place from 18^th – 22^nd July. This year marks the tenth annual Farm Safety week in Ireland and the UK. IFA leads the campaign in Ireland. 
• Plans for Farm Safety Week 2022 are underway with number of regional events organised around the week of the 18^th– 22^nd July: 

• The Connaught regional farm safety event was held on Tuesday 12^th July in Mountbellew Agricultural College, Co. Galway. 
• Farm Safety Week 2022 will be officially launched on Friday the 15^th July by Minister Martin Heydon at the Leinster regional event on Tom Short’s farm Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. A63 HP22 at 7pm. 

• The Ulster regional event will be held on the 20^th July on Jack Porter’s Farm, Carrigans, Co. Donegal F93 ED34 at 7.30pm. 
• The Munster regional event will be held on the 21^st July in Corrin Mart, Fermoy, Co. Cork. P61 EE37 at 7.30pm. 
• Additional farm safety events are also being organised for counties Offaly and Carlow. 
• As part of Farm Safety Week IFA will launch: 

• A farm safety video featuring the story of a farm accident survivor.  

• A mental health leaflet on Dealing with Stress in Farming to support farmers to reduce stress and signpost them to local health services.  
• An updated farm safety leaflet featuring the most up to date research and statistics on farm accidents and fatalities and advice on how to avoid the risk of farm accidents. 
• IFA met with the HSA and discussed various safety topics including the new regulations for ATVs which will come into effect in November 2023 and livestock accidents in the over 65 age group. The Health & Vulnerable Persons Working Group have launched two new resources for farmers; Health and Wellbeing, a guide to staying healthy while farming and a mental health awareness video. These resources are now available on the HSA website. 
• IFA attended the official launch of the Farm Family CPD project.  

• The Farm Family CPD project works in partnership with farm families to promote a new cost effective and sustainable training-led approach to foster farm health, safety and wellbeing within each generation of the farm family unit. 

• The project is supported by IFA, FRS Training, HSA, Teagasc, FBD and FRS Network. 
• Training will not only be for farmers but also for younger and older family members. 
• Training will be free of charge thanks to funding from DAFM under the EIP initiative. 
• To register your interest and stay informed visit www.farmfamilycpd.ie. 

• IFA issued a press release to encourage farmers eligible to receive a second Covid-19 booster vaccine to do so as soon as possible. IFA featured in a radio interview on Limerick FM and Mid-West Radio on this topic.  

• IFA issued a joint press release with the HSE to encourage farmers to be SunSmart and reduce the risk of skin cancer. 
• IFA issued a press release to welcome Teagasc’s new farm safety and assurance module supporting female famers. 
• Men’s Health Week 2022 ran from 13^th to 19^th June. As part of Men’s Health Week IFA issued a joint press release with the Irish Cancer Society to increase awareness of prostate cancer and encourage male famers to visit their GPs. In addition, IFA took out an advert in the Farmers Journal to encourage male farmers to visit their GPs. Th campaign featured on radio interviews on Tipp FM and Limerick FM to promote the campaign.  
• IFA attended a meeting of the Agriculture Consortium group to discuss the development of farm-based apprenticeship programmes. Two programmes have been approved by Teagasc and the Consortium group: Farm Technician (Higher Level 6 Certificate) and Farm Manager Apprenticeship (Ordinary Level 7 Bachelor Degree). The apprenticeship programmes will commence across 2022 and 2023. 
• The Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee met on the 1^st of June. A guest speaker from the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) made a presentation to the committee on the role of the Authority and the private health insurance options available.  

• IFA attended the BEEF2022 event in Grange to promote farm safety and the work of the Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee.  
• IFA attended the Community Garden Party on the 15^th June and the HeForShe Garden Party at Áras an Uachtaráin on Thursday 23^rd June. The HeForShe U.N. movement encourages men to stand in solidarity for the advancement of gender equality. 
• IFA met with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to discuss a new Climate Action and Sustainable Development leaving certificate subject which is due to be launched in 2024. 

2. Any EU/COPA developments 

• IFA Farm Family & Social Affairs Vice Chair, Teresa Roche (Galway) has been successfully chosen by the COPA Women’s Committee to be one of their 4 ambassadors for the INSPIRES Project to promote Women in Agriculture.  

3. Upcoming issues 

• IFA will be finalising a programme of walks as part of Green Ribbon campaign in September 2022. 
• IFA will be lobbying to secure changes to the Farm Assist in the 2023 Budget.