Around 800 primary school children are due to attend a farm safety day at Carnew Livestock Mart in Co. Wicklow at the end of this month.
The inaugural event is being run in association with AgriKids which was founded in 2015 to educate young people about farm safety.
During the event on Wednesday, November 30, AgriKids founder Alma Jordan will deliver a workshop aimed at children aged 9-12 years about keeping safe on the farm, dealing with animals and the risks around machinery.
The children will then be brought on a tour of the facilities at Carnew Mart.
Minister of State with responsibility for Farm Safety at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Martin Heydon, officially launched the event yesterday.
The minister said that the initiative would help empower children to become advocates for safety on their own farms and in their communities.
Speaking ahead of the event, Alma Jordan from AgriKids, said:
“In my opinion collaboration is key to improve and promote farm safety to young children.
“AgriKids farm safety message has been designed to help your future farmer be farm safe and to stay farm safe. It is something that can be used by the whole family.
“Farm safety is for everyone, and by including children in the conversation we are creating a sustainably farm safe future for everyone.
“These workshops have run for nearly seven years and after November 30 we will have reached nearly 70,000 children with the farm safety message,” Jordan said.
Chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee, Alice Doyle, is also helping the team at Carnew Mart to organise the event.
“Farm safety education should be key priority for all families. There is nothing more precious than our children and we must do everything possible to keep them safe.
“A farm is a unique place of wonder and discovery for children where their independence and responsibilities are encouraged.
“It is a place where parents, grandparents and children alike work, play and grow side by side in a safer environment.
“Knowledge in the hands of children will empower them to make decisions that will keep them safe,” Doyle said.
Carnew Livestock Mart is hoping that the event can be repeated on on annual basis and could possibly be rolled out to other agricultural centres across the country.