NSW Farm Safety Training Pilot Targets Safer Agricultural Workplaces

The Minns Labor Government has announced a new 12‑month Farm Safety Training Program, delivered by SafeWork NSW, to strengthen work health and safety (WHS) outcomes for agricultural and farming workers across the state.

Under the pilot, around 1,000 workers in the agriculture and farming sector will complete targeted WHS training designed to raise baseline safety knowledge and encourage safer behaviour on farms. The initiative complements existing WHS management systems, safe work method statements (SWMS) and on‑farm safety policies already in place across many rural operations.

Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of completion, which can be provided to current or prospective employers as evidence of their understanding of farm safety responsibilities and safe work practices.

SafeWork NSW will use the pilot outcomes to assess the feasibility of introducing an industry‑specific safety card for agricultural workers, reflecting long‑standing calls from farmers for a formal, portable way to verify core WHS training.

The Farm Safety Training Program is one of several initiatives being discussed at the annual SafeWork NSW Farm Safety Roundtable in Wagga Wagga. Now in its third year, the roundtable brings together government, industry and community stakeholders to identify practical strategies to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in the agricultural sector.

Agriculture continues to rank among Australia’s most dangerous industries, with persistently high rates of workplace fatalities and serious harm. In 2025, SafeWork NSW responded to 11 workplace fatalities in the state’s agricultural industry, with farm vehicles, including quad bikes and side‑by‑side vehicles (SSVs), remaining a leading cause of death and serious injury.

Alongside the training pilot, SafeWork NSW is launching the new First Steps to Farm Safety Guide at the roundtable. This practical, industry‑informed resource is designed to help farmers and agricultural businesses strengthen day‑to‑day safety practices and embed more robust WHS procedures on farm.

The guide forms part of a broader package of safety tools and resources, backed by ongoing awareness campaigns, targeted communications and proactive compliance programs that directly engage with farmers and agricultural businesses throughout NSW. These measures support duty holders to implement effective WHS management systems and documented policies and procedures tailored to agricultural risks. For businesses seeking structured WHS documentation, resources such as policy and procedure templates are also available commercially, for example via specialist WHS policy and procedure libraries.

Building on actions from the 2024 and 2025 agriculture roundtables, SafeWork NSW has further expanded the $1,000 NSW Small Business Safety Rebate Program to support practical on‑farm risk controls. New eligible items now include agricultural drones as a safer alternative to some high‑risk vehicle tasks, high‑visibility power pole wraps and aerial line markers to help reduce electrical and vehicle collision risks.

Farm businesses can check their eligibility for the NSW Small Business Safety Rebate and submit an application via the NSW Government website at https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/1000-safework-small-business-rebate.

The WHS training component of the Farm Safety Training Program is scheduled to commence later this year, providing a further opportunity for agricultural employers and workers to strengthen their safety capabilities and embed safer systems of work across NSW farms.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis emphasised that more than 81,000 people are employed across NSW’s agricultural industries, from farming and forestry to fishing, and that too many workers are still being seriously injured or killed simply by going to work. She noted that the Farm Safety Training Program is a practical investment in improving WHS outcomes for workers, businesses and rural communities, and that the pilot will be a key step towards delivering an industry‑specific safety card.

Minister Cotsis highlighted that many serious farm incidents involve machinery, vehicles, mobile plant and animals—risks that can often be better controlled through appropriate training, safer equipment, robust safety procedures and effective supervision. She reiterated that every worker, regardless of location or role, has the right to return home safely at the end of the day.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty stressed that farm safety is critical given the unique hazards associated with agricultural work, and that it is essential for workers to have appropriate protections and controls in place. She said the annual roundtables provide a valuable opportunity for industry members and workers to share lessons on hazard reduction and safety behaviours that have successfully reduced injuries and fatalities, and to consider how these can be applied more broadly.

Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr MP welcomed the roundtable and the new pilot program, noting that farming is the backbone of the Riverina and that improving safety outcomes for agricultural workers is crucial. He said the program would help deliver practical support and education for farmers and workers across regional NSW, and that such initiatives are vital to preventing injuries and ensuring workers get home safely.

SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer described the roundtable as a valuable forum for SafeWork NSW to meet directly with farmers, share strategies to improve safety and work collaboratively to reduce farm‑related injuries and fatalities. She underlined the importance of everyone understanding their duties under WHS laws to keep workers safe, stating that every person deserves to return home safely from work.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the organisation is committed to working closely with SafeWork NSW to support education and awareness initiatives that improve WHS outcomes in agriculture. He emphasised that practical, industry‑led education is one of the most effective ways to achieve lasting safety improvements on NSW farms, and that ongoing consultation is needed to ensure initiatives are workable for farm businesses of all sizes and reflect the realities of rural and regional operations.

CWA of NSW State President Tanya Jolly highlighted the central role women play in agricultural safety culture. She noted that across rural NSW, women are often the ones initiating safety conversations, identifying risks and ensuring practical systems are in place to protect families, workers and communities. She welcomed continued awareness around the safe use of side‑by‑side vehicles, pointing out that while these are everyday tools on farms, simple actions such as wearing a seatbelt can be life‑saving.