Mobile education centre to teach farm safety across rural Alberta

An Alberta non-profit has launched a new mobileeducation centre to bring farm safety information to rural communities across the province.

Luree Williamson,CEO of Agriculture for Life, said the rural safety unit will travel across the province and spend weeks at a time delivering programming to schools, fairs and festivals in each region, reaching an estimated 30,000 Albertans.

"We'll be able to expand our reach, being able to reach more farms, farm families and youth," Williamson said.

The mobile education centre launched on Thursday. It's staffed by people with a background in both agriculture and safety, who will guide visitors through the trailer and answer questions. The educational displays are interactive, and includedigital components.

Topics include safety around large animals, heavy equipment and chemicals.

"What this vehicle gives us and allows us to do is have an impactful way to make sure safety is one of those topics that's up front and centre," she said.

Alberta released a lengthy report of farm safety recommendations in the fall of 2017, and the government has said it plans to have new rules in place before the next provincial election.

According to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting, 355 Albertans were killed in agricultural incidents from 1990 to 2009.

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