Saskatchewan has always been a province that prides itself on its agriculture sector. From the sprawling green pastures that cattle graze on to the endless yellow of blooming canola, agriculture makes up a vast majority of our way of living.
Unfortunately, agriculture is also one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Hundreds of farmers and ranchers injure themselves every year through a variety of ways. That’s why the Weyburn Agricultural Society is hosting their Progressive Agriculture Safety Day, welcoming Grade 4 students from Weyburn and the surrounding areas to learn more about how to stay safe on the farm. Stacy Koisor, director of education and safety with the Weyburn Agricultural Society, talks about the learning that will take place.
“It's an opportunity for kids to come together and our local businesses and local volunteers to help basically give an opportunity for kids to learn about various safety hazards and come away with some safety tips. There is a statistic out there that one child every three days dies from an ag-related fatality and so yeah, we're just trying to prevent that from happening in our community."
Nearly 250 Grade 4 students from schools in Weyburn and the surrounding area will head to the Weyburn Exhibition Hall on June 10th to learn a variety of safety topics related to agriculture from electrical safety, railway safety, equipment safety, grain safety, sun safety, animal safety, and many more.
Kosior says there will be ten stations set up that students will cycle through, with interactive activities and first-hand stories from those who have been injured in a farm-related incident. She thanks all of the people helping volunteer to make this event happen.
“I just want to thank our local businesses and volunteers and farmers that have come together to bring this outstanding opportunity for our kids to learn about safety and about agriculture.”
Learn more about the Weyburn Agricultural Society and their upcoming Progressive Agriculture Safety Day by visiting their websites at www.weyburnagriculturalsociety.com or www.progressiveag.org.