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Canadian Agricultural Safety Week 2015 Be the Difference Encourages All Canadians to be Farm Safety Champions

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Ottawa, ON, February 20, 2015: This March, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) are encouraging all Canadians to become farm safety champions as a part of Canadian Agricultural Safety Week 2015 presented by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), which runs from March 15 to 21, 2015.

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW) is an annual public education campaign focusing on the importance of safe agriculture. This year’s theme is Be the Difference, and organizers want to inspire all Canadians to become farm safety champions through feature champion testimonials, farmer resources and a social media contest.

“This year, we are focusing on the power of the positive. We know that we need to engage with all Canadians to make farms safer places to work and live,” says Marcel Hacault, Executive Director of CASA. “We’re encouraging all Canadians to become farm safety champions. Health care providers, teachers, agri-business leaders, community members and farmers all play an important role in promoting farm safety.”

“As a farmer myself and in the role as President at the CFA, I see the importance of farm safety firsthand – on my farm and for farms across Canada,” says Ron Bonnett, CFA President. “Injuries on the farm are no joke, and they happen much more often than they should. We need to work together so that farm safety is acknowledged as important and change ensues.”

“Our commitment to Canadian agriculture extends beyond financing by helping those in the industry successfully manage risks on their farms or agribusiness operations,” says Brenda Stasuik, FCC Director, Strategy, Government Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. “We’re pleased to partner with CASA for Canadian Agriculture Safety Week to empower producers with the information and resources they need to make their operations safer.”

As a part of CASW 2015, CASA and CFA are working with the PEI Federation of Agriculture to host Be the Difference launch activities in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on March 16th, 2015. Activities include a luncheon with speeches from farm safety champions and half-day training on hazard and risk assessment; Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) or CPR.

“The PEI Federation of Agriculture is pleased to see this year’s CASW launch on Prince Edward Island soil,” says Charlotte Crooks, Farm Safety Coordinator. “We are proud of our farm safety initiatives in the province and we look forward to seeing what others are doing to “Be the Difference” in their areas. This event is a wonderful way to share knowledge and bring awareness to farm safety nationwide.”

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week takes place every year during the third week of March. This year, CASW runs from March 15th to 21st. For more information about CASW or PEI launch activities, or to access CASW media kits, please visitagsafetyweek.ca. Media kits include press releases, feature safety champion articles, safety advice articles, psas, graphics and more.

CASW 2015 is presented by Farm Credit Canada and brought to you by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture with assistance from the Government of Canada through Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative. In 2015, CASW sponsors include long-time corporate sponsor Farm Credit Canada, Imperial and their Esso Branded Resellers, Ag for Life, Canadian Fertilizer Institute, Dupont Pioneer, Viterra and Brandt.

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For more information contact:

Robin Anderson, CASA Communications Tel: 877 452 2272 Email: randerson@casa-acsa.ca

Jessica Goodfellow, CFA Director of Communications, Tel: 613 236 3633 ext. 2322 Email: jessica@canadian-farmers.ca