$5000 farm safety grants: All farmers, except beekeepers eligible

Victorian farmers can gain grants of up to $5000, on a matching basis, to make their stockyards, loading ramps, shearing or dairy sheds safer.

Wool producers can use $5000 government grants to install back brace hanging points in their sheds, improved lighting or other farm safety upgrades.

VICTORIAN farmers are able to tap into $5000 safety grants to build cattle crushes, loading ramps, covered sheep races and even safety fencing to keep the kids safe in a bid to curb the rural death and injury toll.

“Too many people are killed or injured on farms each year,” Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said. This new program is an easy way to make simple adjustments to farms so they’re safer, and workers can carry on with peace of mind.”

But while nearly all farmers can gain access to the grants the Andrews Government has decided to exclude beekeepers from the scheme.

The Weekly Times asked Ms Thomas as to why the state’s apiarists have been locked out of the $3 million scheme.

A spokesperson for Ms Thomson said the fund was focused on farms with higher risk profiles for injury based on agricultural injuries and fatality data, and consultation with industry stakeholders.

“It is on this basis that apiarists are not included,” the spokesperson said.

But the rest of the farming community can gain access to the grants on the basis of making at least 50 per cent cash co-contribution, with one rebate per farm business.

The Farm Safety Rebate Scheme will close on December 31 or when all funds have been allocated.

For more information or to apply for a rebate, visit the Rural Finance website or call 1800 260 425.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Eligible Projects are those that aim for permanent safety improvements and can include, but are not limited to the following:

CHILD safety fencing and installation costs to create safe on-farm play areas

SAFETY and warning signs; e.g. children at play, traffic management, speed limits, overhead powerlines, chemical hazard, deep water, water not for drinking, steep descent, hearing protection must be worn etc.

ANIMAL handling equipment; sheep handling

systems, cattle crush etc.

ANIMAL management; loading ramps, man-gates, access platforms, roofed sheep races (note: New Australian standard expected in late 2020)

CHEMICAL hazards; dedicated chemical storage sheds (AS2507), spill washdown and shower facilities, eye wash station etc.

UPGRADE of shearing, dairy or machinery shed electrics to install safety switches or improve power systems and lighting

EMERGENCY shut off switches for existing machinery and equipment

RETROFIT back brace hanging points in shearing sheds

REVERSING camera on farm tractors and vehicles

RETROFIT of seatbelts, seatbelt warning lights, deadman switches etc.

RETROFIT of guarding on machinery and plant where

guards did not previously exist.

INELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Project expenses not eligible under the Scheme

include (but are not limited to):

SAFETY items or equipment of a solely personal nature e.g. fire blanket for the home kitchen,

smoke alarms in the home, flotation devices etc.

PERSONAL protective equipment (the Scheme aims to support higher order controls than PPE)

SWIMMING pool fencing

STANDARD boundary, paddock or laneway fencing

SUBSCRIPTIONS and/or software costs

UHF/VHF radios and boosters

SENSOR lighting and CCTV monitoring

WAGES for your employees or your self-assessed labour or transport costs associated with purchase and installation of the equipment and infrastructure

LIVESTOCK electronic identification tags or handheld tag reading equipment

TRAINING costs

REPLACING agricultural machinery and equipment (e.g. tractors, silos) unless specified in the “List of Eligible Projects”.

VEHICLES (e.g. cars, motor bikes, quad bikes, side by sides, trailers and trucks)

ROLL over protection devices for quad bikes

ADMINISTRATION, consultancy, legal or insurance costs