Farm Family Council Report September 2024

1. Activity since last National Council
2. There have been 6 farm fatalities officially recorded by HSA to date. To keep up to date on farm fatalities click here.
3. Farm Safety Week 2024 ran from 22^nd to 26^th of July. As part of FSW:
   1. Minister Martin Heydon officially launched the week on Friday 12^th of July on the Delaney Farm in Co Laois.
   1. A farm safety video featuring PJ Fitzsimmons speaking about his father’s fatality on farm was developed and promoted online. An advert promoting the video was placed in the Farmers Journal.
   1. IFA held 2 regional farm safety events: Monaghan & Cork
   1. IFA supported a dedicated farm safety feature in the Irish Farmers Journal with FBD.
   1. A farm safety hub was developed on the IFA website to showcase the events, highlight the most up to date farm safety statistics, provide resources and promote to work of the Farm Family committee relating to farm safety.
   1. A daily social media campaign was launched during farm safety week which encouraged farmers to improve farm safety on their farms. 
4. An updated farm safety leaflet (enclosed) was launched in partnership with FBD 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.
5. IFA took part in several radio interviews to promote FSW.
6. IFA has applied for funding for a Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing project. If successful, the project will be funded under the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine’s dedicated Farm Safety budget.
7. IFA welcomes the National Farm Safety Measure 2024 which promotes farm safety by incentivising farmers to purchase and use farm safety equipment. It will provide a financial contribution to participating farmers for PTO shaft covers, covering 60% of the eligible cost.
   1. Participants must submit an Expression of Interest to the Department before purchasing the eligible equipment.
   1. The grant aid will be at a rate of 60% subject to a maximum eligible cost of €100 per PTO shaft cover.
   1. PTO shaft covers must meet the requirements of the European Standards EN 12965:2019 and the CE mark must be clearly visible on the PTO shaft cover.
   1. All invoices/ receipts must state that the PTO shaft covers purchased meet EN 12965:2019.
8. IFA held a Quad Safety Information Webinar on Tuesday 25^th June. Speakers included Health & Safety Authority, FRS Training, Lantra. Recording of the webinar can be found at www.ifa.ie/quadsafety
9. IFA attended the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee meeting.
10. IFA attended Farm Safety Foundations 10-year anniversary Conference in Birmingham. 
11. IFA forwarded a submission to HSA on the development of HSA Strategy for 2025-2027.
12. IFA made a submission to HSA on the Code of Practice for the safe use of industrial trucks. 
13. IFA attended Embrace Farm Remembrance Service on Sunday 30^th of June. A notable event in the farming calendar, acknowledging the suffering of those who have survived farm accidents and providing a place for farm families to remember loved ones who have died suddenly.
    1. Embrace Farm offer counselling services beyond farm accidents, if any wishes to contact them, please contact 085 770 9966
14. IFA have recently worked with FBD to support farmers, and FBD’s Farm insurance product includes a fully confidential independent counselling helpline – Tel 1800 670 407. This is available:
    1. 24 hours a day 7 days a week. 
    1. To the policyholder(s) & immediate family who permanently live with them
    1. and to the farmers employees 
15. This service is available for any issue and not restricted to farming issues. (See enclosed information card).

• On Feirm Ground 2, run by Men’s Development Network and supported by DAFM, DoH and HSE, is a training programme that equips agricultural professionals and service providers with skills, knowledge, and competencies to engage farmers on their health and wellbeing and to signpost farmers to appropriate support services. 
  • The programme is suitable for agricultural professionals or service providers who have interactions with farmers during the course of their work (on the yard, in the office and/or over the phone). 
  • Places can be booked through their website at www.engagetraining.ie. The course is free of charge.
• IFA met with Minister Mary Butler to discuss Home Care Packages.
• Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler along with Minister for Local Government and Planning, Alan Dillon, launched the national rollout of the Healthy Age Friendly Homes (HAFH) programme
  • A programme that aims to prevent thousands of older people from entering long-term residential care, where possible.

The programme works in simple steps:

• Participants can self-refer themselves or be referred into the programme by family members, friends, healthcare providers, social prescribers, or members of the community (for example, Gardaí).
  • Once referred into the programme, participants will receive a home visit from a Local Coordinator who is based in their local authority.
  • The Local Coordinator will carry out an assessment of their needs.
  • Local Coordinators then work with each older person to design a personalised action plan under each of these areas to support them to live healthily and independently in their own home for as long as possible.
• IFA met with the Department of Agriculture to discuss the Succession Planning Advice Grant Scheme application process.
  • IFA requested for the Succession Planning Advice Grant application form to include the scheme requirements to ensure farmers meet the correct criteria for the scheme and to ensure the application is accompanied by the correct documents. DAFM have recently updated the application form to include our recommendations. 
• IFA have been working with Pieta House to develop dedicated support therapists for IFA members and the rural community. Work is currently on going and an advertising campaign will be released in the coming months. 

• Other Updates
• IFA attended a meeting with the Road Safety Authority to discuss the importance of reducing accidents on roads and to reintroduce the IFA/RSA Road Safety radio advert.
• IFA attended Road Safety Campaign launch in Monaghan & Cavan in collaboration with local county council and Gardai.
• IFA attended the ESRI Pre-Budget Conference on pensions and PRSI contributions 
• IFA attended FLIARA Community of Practice event in Galway to discuss ways to advance rural and farm women-led innovations. 
• IFA Farm Family & Social Affairs next committee meeting is Wednesday 4^th September.