Wimmera-based agricultural research organisation Birchip Cropping Group is reminding growers to prioritise their safety with harvest season underway across Australia.

In the latest episode of the Safety First: What’s the Rush podcast, BCG’s Janine Batters interviewed farm manager Jono Robinson, discussing reasons safety should be a top priority for farmers.

“For me personally, I don’t want to see any of my colleagues, my friends, not make it home or go home injured,” Mr Robinson said.

“It’s creating a culture to get each other home safe and looking after each other. It starts at the top. It starts with me. If I’m not doing it, the staff aren’t going to do it … you’ve got to practice what you preach.”

Mr Robinson, who manages the 1400-hectare Warakirri property between Donald and Warracknabeal, said farm safety had flow-on effects.

“Putting safety first has the added benefit of creating efficiencies,” he said.

“If you’re looking after your machines, they’re in better condition. 

“Taking the time to induct people thoroughly, teaching them how to use gear and not just rushing them out and throwing them in a machine, it adds up to efficiencies down the track.

“If you’re rushing around, always in a hurry to get to the next job, you find things break, things go wrong, things get missed and that’s when you lose time – you’re further behind, whereas if you’ve got a good plan in place and it’s organised and safe, you’ll find machines are constantly rolling at a steady speed all day.”

People can listen to the full interview with Mr Robinson by searching for Safety First: What’s the Rush on their podcast host of choice or by visiting bcg.org.au/podcasts.

The entire November 27, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire November,27, 2024 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!