Applications are now being accepted for the 2023 calendar year

ROBIN ANDERSON,

Communications Coordinator, CASA

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, the Canadian partner of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Day® (PAF Safety Day) program, reminds returning PAF Safety Day Coordinators interested in hosting a Community- or School-based PAF Safety Day in 2023 to apply by July 15th, 2022. New potential Safety Day Coordinators are able to apply year-round.

The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program typically consists of age-appropriate safety and health activities which help children learn how to be safe on the farm, ranch, and at home. A PAF Safety Day features mix-and-match learning stations, covering topics based on the needs of each community, including sun safety, recognizing and avoiding chemical exposure, safe animal handling, and more. Participants rotate among different safety and health stations, allowing each child the opportunity to participate in interactive and engaging activities.

“CASA is proud to work alongside the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, in order to provide dynamic and important information to keep kids safe,” says Andrea Lear, CASA’s CEO. “The last few years have been challenging, when it comes to in-person events. CASA encourages all those interested in hosting a Safety Day to apply, so more children can learn about safety and health issues.”

New for the 2022-2023 academic year, the PAF Safety Day program unveiled the Classroom-based delivery mode, primarily designed for elementary school-age children and geared toward an average classroom size of 25. This delivery mode spans several days, weeks or even months, without ever needing to leave the classroom setting. This new offering will not replace the well-established Community or School-based PAF Safety Day program but aims to remove barriers which may have limited previous participation and allow more children to be reached with safety and health education.

“The Progressive Agriculture Foundation is grateful for our longstanding partnership with CASA to provide critical, potentially lifesaving safety and health education to children throughout Canada,” said Brian Kuhl, president and CEO of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. “The partnership between CASA and the Foundation exemplifies our mission and ongoing commitment to continue making the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program more accessible to youth and communities, to help keep the next generation of agriculture safe and healthy.”

Communities which would like to host a PAF Safety Day in 2023, including the Classroom-based delivery mode, can apply online, at www.casa-acsa.ca/programs/safety-days-for-children/ or call CASA, at 877-452-2272. The deadline for returning PAF Safety Day Coordinators to apply is July 15th, 2022. All new individuals must apply and complete training at least 45 days prior to the date of their anticipated PAF Safety Day. The annual PAF Safety Day coordinator training is available in both official languages.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is a national, non-profit organization, dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers. CASA is funded in part through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative and receives additional support from the agricultural and corporate sectors. For more information, visit www.casa-acsa.ca, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @planfarmsafety.

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