Farmers from Saskatchewan and Ontario received funding
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Three farmers from Saskatchewan and one from Ontario are getting back into the fields thanks to funding from the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).
Partnering with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), the Back to Ag Program awarded each farmer up to $10,000 to assist with the purchases of adaptive technology including cattle handling systems and wheelchair lifts.
“Injured farmers were struggling because there was no assistance for adaptive technology,” Marcel Hault, CASA’s executive director said in a release. “This is where Back to Ag shines.”
Barry Cloutier farms near Ponteix, Saskatchewan; the Back to Ag Program helped him purchase a cattle-feeding cart and get him back on the farm after sustaining a traumatic hand injury.
“I needed something that would help ease the pressure and pain on my hand,” he said in a release.
Cloutier said he’s pleased with the cart and beats hauling pails six months out of the year.
In October 2014, while running a round baler, he knew something wasn’t right.
“The twine yanked out,” he said. “To see where the problem was, I had to leave the baler running.”
He saw a buildup of chaff and straw; two previous baler fires made him extra careful when it comes to chaff and straw.
“I wasn’t thinking at that point, and that’s when my fingers found the roller chain.”
He lost parts of his index and middle fingers on his right hand.
Cloutier encourages other farmers who’ve sustained traumatic injuries to look into the Back to Ag Program.
“Definitely apply,” he said. “Find out more and use it for something that’s going to help you and be useful on your farm.”