The Minns Labor Government has launched a 12-month Farm Safety Training Program, run by SafeWork NSW, to improve work health and safety (WHS) outcomes among agriculture and farming workers.
The Farm Safety Training Program will be piloted to about 1,000 workers in the agriculture and farming sector 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.
The program is one of several initiatives being discussed at the annual SafeWork NSW Farm Safety roundtable being held in Wagga Wagga today. Now in its third year, the event brings together leaders from across government and industry to focus on practical solutions for reducing fatalities and serious injuries in the sector.
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.
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.
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.
The WHS Training for the Farm Safety Training Program will commence later this year.
Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
"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.
"The agriculture sector remains one of the most dangerous industries in the state, which is why the NSW Government is investing in practical initiatives like the Farm Safety Training Program to improve work health and safety outcomes for workers, businesses and farming communities.
"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."
Minister For Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:
"Farm safety is extremely important, there are many hazards unique to agricultural work and it is paramount that workers have the correct protections in place to ensure they are safe at work.
"These annual roundtables are a great opportunity for agricultural industry members and workers to discuss hazard reduction and safety behaviour they have found to reduce workplace injury and death, and how these lessons can be applied across the industry."
Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr MP said:
"Farming is the backbone of the Riverina, so improving safety outcomes for agricultural workers is incredibly important.
"I welcome this state roundtable and the new farm safety training pilot program, which will help deliver practical support and education for farmers and workers across regional NSW.
"Farming remains a high-risk industry, and initiatives like this are critical to helping prevent injuries and ensuring more workers get home safely at the end of the day."
SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"Now in its third year, the roundtable is a valuable opportunity for SafeWork NSW to meet with farmers and share ways to improve safety and reduce the number of farm-related injuries and fatalities."
"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.
"Everyone deserves to return home safely from work."
Farmers NSW President Xavier Martin said:
"NSW Farmers is 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.
We look forward to ongoing consultation with SafeWork NSW to ensure these initiatives are practical for businesses of all sizes across the agriculture sector, recognising the unique operational realities faced by rural and regional farm businesses."
CWA State President Tanya Jolly said:
"Women are central to the safety culture of agriculture. Across rural NSW, women are often the people making sure safety conversations happen, risks are identified, and practical systems are in place to help keep families, workers and communities safe.
"The CWA of NSW is pleased to support continued awareness around side-by-side vehicle safety. On farms, these vehicles are an everyday tool, but wearing a seatbelt is one simple step that can make a lifesaving difference."
