THREE STEPS TO SAFER FARMING

Mar 02, 2022

The Canadian agriculture community was rocked a few years ago when a farmer was charged and convicted following the tragic death of his son in a farm vehicle incident.

While we all felt empathy for this poor soul held responsible for this tragedy as well as their loved ones, it represented a major change in how health and safety on farms is being recognized and responded to by government bodies including the legal system.

It also caused us to take pause and consider ways to prevent any similar devastating incidents from happening again. To not accept that what occurred ‘just comes with the territory’ of the farm life.

Stop Think Act Methodology Can Help

In our search for new ways forward, one approach that is gaining traction is Stop Think Act, a methodology that can play a pivotal role in any farm health and safety plan.

The concept revolves around a three step process that is remarkably universal in its application and includes many facets of farming including machinery and equipment use. One example relates to the use of new equipment. It’s always exciting to take delivery and get it into operation.

Before doing so, stop. Ask yourself if there are any new hazards associated with this new equipment to consider.

Then think. If it’s a new spray boom or grain auger, could it be longer than the one it is replacing? If there are overhead power wires, could this new piece of equipment come into contact with them, energize the equipment and cause anyone on board to sustain a potentially fatal shock?

Finally act. Review the documentation associated with the equipment and find definitive information on how high it is at full extension and determine if it needs to be retracted before it has to pass under any overhead wires.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.