Backing young farmers for safer careers

Safer Farms chair Lindy Nelson says too many farmers and their families are still being hurt or killed while producing food and fibre, and she believes the sector must stop accepting preventable harm as a normal part of work.

Nelson says the Farm Without Harm plan offers practical, farmer-led solutions that improve how work is designed, reduce risks before they build up and help people fail safely so they still make it home at the end of the day.

Safer Farms is bringing its expertise to the design of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year programme module.

Her comments come as NZ Young Farmers (NZYF) and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) launch a new partnership centred on the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest series.

The new partnership aims to strengthen safety, wellbeing and long-term capability across the next generation of rural leaders.

“Farming is one of NZ’s most demanding and rewarding industries, requiring skill, resilience and constant decision-making in often unpredictable conditions, says Young Farmers chief executive Cheyne Gillooly

“The contest showcases the real pressures and realities of farming life, and we’re proud to welcome ACC as a partner who shares our commitment to keeping people safe and ensuring young farmers are supported to build long, successful careers on the land

ACC deputy chief executive service delivery Michael Frampton says the partnership offers a unique opportunity to support the next generation of farmers to stay safe and well.

“We are really excited to be partnering with the New Zealand Young Farmers for the first time this year.

“This collaboration is especially important to us because it allows us to connect with the wider agricultural community and encourage farmers to take practical steps to keep themselves safe and, if an injury does happen, take part in an active recovery so they can get back to what matters, sooner.”

Agriculture remains one of NZ’s highest-risk industries, and in 2024 ACC received more than 23,000 on-farm injury claims at a cost of around $120 million.

The average work-related agricultural injury resulted in 36 days away from work, highlighting the toll that injuries take on farmers, families and rural businesses.

ACC is placing greater emphasis on helping injured farmers stay active and connected to their work during recovery so they can return sooner and with greater confidence.

The partnership with NZYF complements ACC’s wider work with the rural sector, including its collaboration with Safer Farms.

Frampton says ACC wants contestants to build strong knowledge of risk management and develop habits they will use throughout their working lives.

Lindy Nelson says the Young Farmer of the Year contest is the perfect place to reinforce safety as a core farming skill because it mirrors the pressures and realities farmers face every day

She says safety and wellbeing should sit alongside productivity, leadership and innovation, not beneath them.

Nelson says the focus is on creating a culture of care rather than ticking boxes, because well-designed work and strong systems lead to safer, more productive farms.