SafeWork NSW has launched a 12-month Farm Safety Training Program to improve work health and safety (WHS) outcomes among agriculture and farming workers.
The Farm Safety Training Program will be piloted to around 1,000 workers in the agriculture and farming sector, who will be provided training to lift baseline WHS knowledge and learn about safer behaviour on farms.
Upon completion of the training, participants will receive a certificate of completion which can be shared with employers as evidence of their knowledge and understanding of farm safety.
SafeWork NSW will use the outcomes from the pilot program to evaluate the feasibility of having an industry-specific safety card for workers in the agriculture sector.
“There are more than 81,000 people employed across NSW’s agricultural industries, from farming and forestry to fishing, and far too many are still being seriously injured or killed simply by going to work,” said Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety, Sophie Cotsis.
“Farmers have been telling us that they want an industry-specific safety card for workers in the agriculture sector and the Fram Safety Training Program will lead to delivering that.
“Too many workplace incidents on farms involve machinery, vehicles, mobile plant and animals – risks that can often be reduced through proper training, safer equipment, stronger safety procedures and better supervision.
“Every worker, no matter where they work or what job they do, has the right to return home safely at the end of the day. That includes the thousands of workers helping power NSW’s agricultural economy in regional and rural communities.”
Agriculture remains one of Australia’s most dangerous industries, with consistently high rates of workplace fatalities and serious injuries. In 2025, SafeWork NSW responded to 11 workplace fatalities in the agricultural industry in NSW.
Incidents involving farm vehicles, including quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles (SSVs), remained one of the leading causes of fatalities and serious injuries in agriculture across NSW last year.
In addition to the program, SafeWork NSW will launch the new First Steps to Farm Safety Guide at the roundtable – a practical, industry-informed resource designed to help farmers and agricultural businesses strengthen safety practices on the ground.
The guide forms part of a broader package of practical and accessible safety resources, backed by ongoing awareness campaigns, targeted communications and proactive compliance programs engaging directly with farmers and agricultural businesses across NSW.
“By working collectively and listening to each other, we can make sure those working on farms and agricultural businesses better understand their duty under work health and safety laws to keep workers safe,” said SafeWork Commissioner, Janet Schorer.
Farmers NSW President, Xavier Martin said the organisation was committed to working collaboratively with SafeWork NSW to support education and awareness-raising initiatives that improve work health and safety outcomes across the agriculture sector.
“We believe that practical, industry-led education is the most effective way to create lasting safety improvements on NSW farms,” said Mr Martin.
Building on actions from the 2024 and 2025 agriculture roundtables, SafeWork NSW has also expanded the $1,000 NSW Small Business Safety Rebate Program to support more practical on-farm safety measures.
New rebate inclusions include agricultural drones as a safer alternative to high-risk farm vehicles, high-visibility power pole wraps and aerial line markers, helping reduce risks and improve safety outcomes across the sector.
The WHS Training for the Farm Safety Training Program will commence later this year.
Farmers can check their eligibility for the NSW Small Business Rebate and apply on the NSW Government website at https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/1000-safework-small-business-rebate.
