• Resources

Providers, hosts, and workers in the agriculture and horticulture industry should be aware of a new initiative from Agriculture Victoria – the Smarter, Safer Farms program.

The $20 million program aligns with the Labour Hire Authority (LHA) focus on ensuring workers on farms operate in safer conditions, especially given the significant proportion of Victoria’s labour hire industry operating in the agriculture and horticulture sector.

Smarter, Safer Farms aims to accelerate safe and efficient farming practices, and to strengthen the state’s agriculture and horticulture industries through a series of projects over four years.

The program will assist farming providers and hosts to stay compliant with safety requirements through initiatives including:

• $10 million to fund initiatives to boost Victoria’s farm safety and wellbeing culture, and reduce the number of injuries and deaths on farms
• establishing a Farm Safety Council to advise on all farm safety-related matters
• free safety resources and advice for all Victorian farmers through the Making our Farms Safer (MOFS) program, which conducts farm visits to assess and consult with farmers

Farming communities and families will benefit from extra support under the program, such as boosting social connectivity and mental health awareness in farming communities.

Outside of safety, Smarter, Safer Farms will provide business management solutions to help farmers grow and sustain their business. It includes a $10 million skills program, that is providing targeted training to build capability in financial literacy, risk management, farm planning and adaptation to climate change.

Find out more about Smarter, Safer Farms on the Agriculture Victoria website.