With children home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and now with summer approaching, there have been many opportunities to show your children more about working on the farm.

While June 20 marks the official start of summer, for many it begins as soon as the school year ends. As kids kick off their summer break, filled with outdoor activities under the hot sun, it is still important to keep one subject at the forefront – safety!

Humans have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Our bodies receive signals through sensory organs, which include our eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.

In Ontario, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) mandates that every workplace have a health and safety communication board which includes mandatory components, based on the number of employees within the employer's operation. 

Zoonotic diseases – also known as zoonoses – are caused by germs that spread between animals and people. No matter where people come into contact with animals, harmful germs are sometimes carried by animals.

Consider implementing Dr. Fahrmeier’s 10 best practices to help alleviate burnout risk and unintended stress placed on your veterinarian and their team.

While recent headlines regarding child labor violations have involved industries and occupations not categorized as agriculture, that does not mean agriculture operations and jobs are not being monitored to ensure compliance with child labor laws.

Some farms have a “safety-third policy” when it comes to operating farm equipment. This lackadaisical attitude starts when the 10-year-old is driving the farm four-wheeler at break-neck speeds through muddy fields and skidding around the corner.