FARMSAFE Australia on Sunday launched its 2025 National Farm Safety Week campaign.
With the theme Second Chances: Who Knows How Many You’ll Get, Farmsafe Australia has issued a national call to action.
Accompanying the campaign is the release of the 2025 Safer Farms Report, which provides a sobering picture of on-farm harm over the past 18 months.
Following a historic low of 32 farm fatalities in 2023, the sector recorded 72 deaths in 2024, the highest fatality figure in more than two decades.
Farmsafe Australia chair, Felicity Richards, says the data shows farm safety isn’t just about preventing the worst-case scenario, it’s about reading the signs before they happen.
“So many incidents are preceded by a ‘close call’ – a moment when we got lucky,” Mrs Richards said.
“But unless we talk about what almost happened and what we did differently afterwards, we’re missing one of the most powerful tools we have to change behaviour.”
The Second Chances campaign highlights the role of the near-miss as a warning sign.
It features stories from farmers across the country who’ve walked away from close-calls and made changes that improved the safety of their families, their workers and their communities.
The campaign recognises many farmers process these experiences quietly.
“We know these stories are often hard to talk about,” Mrs Richards said.
“Some come with trauma. Some carry fear of judgment. But when we’re ready, talking about what nearly went wrong helps normalise safer decision-making – not from a place of blame but from a place of care.”
Mrs Richards said this year’s safety week is about cultural change.
“When we share a near-miss safely, without shame, and with a focus on the lesson, we create space for someone else to say, ‘Actually, that happened to me too’,” she said.
“That conversation can lead to real action: putting seatbelts on in side-by-sides, rethinking fatigue management, changing up how we supervise kids. None of those things happen in silence.”
Mrs Richards, a farmer and mother herself, notes the emotional weight behind the statistics.
“Every number in that report is a person. If we wait until after something goes wrong to take safety seriously, we’re already too late for a valued member of our workforce and a much-loved member of our families and communities,” she said.
The campaign encourages safe sharing.
“We are not asking anyone to relive trauma or share details they’re uncomfortable with,” Mrs Richards said.
“Sometimes, the best thing we can do is reflect privately or debrief with our team. The important thing is not how we share, it’s that we don’t ignore the lesson.”
The 2025 Safer Farms Report, sponsored by WFI, identifies key ongoing risks on Australian farms, including fatigue, poor communication, and child safety, all topics explored in the campaign throughout the week.
CGU & WFI executive general manager CX and growth, Damien Gallagher said WFI Insurance is proud to sponsor the 2025 Safer Farms Report, a vital resource for farmers and their families aimed at saving lives.
“As one of Australia’s leading rural insurers, we see the life changing impacts of farming incidents and know not everyone gets a second chance. A momentary lapse in concentration can change a life forever,” Mr Gallagher said.
For the first time, side-by-side vehicles have overtaken quads and tractors as the leading cause of fatalities, a major shift in the data trends over the last 10 years.
Despite the confronting data, the tone of this year’s campaign remains hopeful.
“We are not powerless,” Mrs Richards said.
“We’ve seen extraordinary leadership from farmers who’ve shared their stories, changed their systems and supported others to do the same. That’s what this week is about; giving voice to those second chances.”
Sunday’s launch marks the beginning of a refreshed strategic direction for Farmsafe, backed by $2.5 million in federal funding to expand its work over the next three years.
The organisation will invest in new tools, training, ambassador development and tailored resources to better serve farmers, families and rural workforces across the country.
As part of the campaign, Farmsafe encourages industry partners, member organisations and rural businesses to amplify the message.
“Everyone has a role to play in creating safer farms whether it’s by starting a toolbox talk, sharing a story, or just pausing before a job to check in,” Mrs Richards said.
“This is about taking steps. It’s about being conscious and trying to do better every day.”
