It was April 1994, and Kemery, who was four years old, was playing on a parked tractor-driven rototiller that was still running on her family’s grain farm near Major, Sask. Her parents were standing not too far away. When the machine shook itself into gear, Kemery suddenly fell backward into the blades.

The incident resulted in critical injuries across Kemery’s body, which required numerous surgeries and extensive rehabilitation, and left her with lasting physical challenges and emotional trauma.

“When you hear stories of farming accidents, people are absolutely devastated when it happens, but then a week later, they’ve moved on. For the people it has happened to, it is a life sentence,” Kemery says. “It’s not a one-day event that you just move on from. I will never move on from this, and my family will never move on from it. This is life-changing and lifelong.”

Kemery knows her situation is unique in that she can talk about her experience. “More often than not, people do not survive those sorts of accidents,” she explains. That’s a key reason Kemery became a vocal farm safety advocate, noting that speaking publicly about her accident became therapeutic and a way to help cope.

“People always think ‘It’s never going to happen to me.’ I’m sure my parents thought that as well,” she says.

Despite the accident, Kemery remains close to her family’s farm, where she and her husband raise their three kids. While she says the family farm is a great place to raise kids, she quickly points out that it can also be dangerous if precautions aren’t taken.

“I always ask people if they’re prepared to be responsible for their child or grandchild’s life. Sure, something may never happen, but it just as likely could. And then what?” says Kemery, who also works off the farm in emergency management, providing various industries with first aid and CPR training and emergency preparedness plans.

“Whenever I hear someone say ‘I did it that way and I survived,’ I remind them that’s survivor bias. You were lucky. But had you got into an accident, this would be an entirely different conversation.”

Part of taking precautions, Kemery says, is involving children and youth in conversations about farm safety and being honest with them about the potential dangers on the farm.

“I believe in talking about everything and not hiding my kids from knowing about things that will hurt them. It’s so important to not shy away from having those conversations about how they can get hurt if they do something. We need to normalize farm safety and be honest with kids,” she explains.

“We don’t give kids enough credit. They are intuitive, smart little beings. And they want to learn. Involving kids in farm safety gives them a sense of belonging and it gives them a role. Everyone has a role on the farm and their role is to stay safe, which is huge.”

That open and honest approach to farm safety extends to her own accident. Kemery says her kids know about her accident, and when they ask questions, she is truthful with them about what happened and why.

“I can’t hide it from them; I’m covered in scars. They ask what happened and I tell them I was run over by a tractor. When they ask why, I explain that I wasn’t where I should have been and I got really, really hurt,” Kemery says.

“Why shelter them from it? Giving them the truth isn’t going to traumatize them. What will traumatize them is having to cope with an injury as a result of not having open and honest conversations about safety.”

Many parents struggle with where to start with teaching their kids about farm safety, which can lead to overcomplicating or ignoring safety lessons. A valuable resource Kemery found for teaching her children about farm safety is the BASF Safety Scouts, designed to engage little ones in learning about farm safety.

“We want to do right in keeping our kids safe, but as parents, we don’t always know what to say or where to start. The Safety Scouts program takes care of that uncertainty,” Kemery explains, adding with a laugh that her three-year-old son thought the safety vest that comes with the kit was the “bees’ knees.”

“Excluding kids from being involved with the farm can be dangerous because they want to be involved and they are going to find a way, whether you’re involved or not. So instead of ignoring it, it’s important to guide that involvement to make sure it’s as safe as possible. The Safe Scouts kit helps achieve that and helps kids visualize their role on the farm.”

Kemery notes that parents can also benefit from the program, as it provides new perspectives on farm safety.

“There were hazards included that I had never really considered, so, as a parent, it made me stop and think. And that’s important because we’re never too old or experienced to learn something new,” Kemery says. “That’s how things evolve and change for the better.

As the saying goes, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ and the same notion applies with instilling farm safety. When it comes to farm safety lessons, as Kemery points out, repetition and patience are crucial.

“Farm kids are still kids. And because they’re kids, they’ll probably forget some of it, so be patient and remember that repetition is the best way to create success for farm safety,” she explains. “Having patience for kids who are learning is key. Don’t make them afraid of failing or afraid to ask for help and instead end up in a dangerous situation. Because how is that better?”

Kemery is candid when she says the trauma from her accident will never go away, noting that there’s no end to the hardships and pain she has to navigate. “That’s my life and the reality of the situation; there will always be trauma.”

That’s also why she continues to advocate for farm safety and strives to teach others how a single choice can affect the rest of their lives and their children’s lives.

“I tell people to think about the fact that an oversight could decide the fate of your child’s well-being. One decision that was made, and it wasn’t malicious or anything, but that one decision changed my life,” she explains.

“I still believe that growing up on the farm is one of the most rewarding experiences that a person could offer their kids. And embracing safety helps make the most of that experience.”

Kids FarmSafe Week is a new public awareness campaign hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association with the aim of promoting the safety and wellness of children and youth on Canadian farms. For its inaugural year, the campaign took place May 13-19, presented by BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions. More information can be found online.

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But while Canadian farms are becoming safer, hazards still exist, and it’s clear that there is still a long way to go with farm safety — particularly when it comes to children and youth.

The latest Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) data highlights some concerning statistics about child and youth deaths related to agriculture. CAIR is the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association’s national surveillance program, coordinated by the Injury Prevention Centre at the University of Alberta.

According to CAIR data, from 1990 to 2020, a staggering 435 children and youth lost their lives due to agriculture-related incidents, with children ages one to four having the highest number of deaths of those under age 19.

Farms and ranches are not just workplaces, but also areas where people live and play. As a result, while other industries see occupational injury victims almost exclusively in the 18- to 65-year-old range, children sadly account for a significant number of fatalities in agriculture.

What’s contributing to so many agriculture-related fatalities among children and youth? According to the CAIR data, the majority (65 per cent) of children and youth deaths were caused by machinery, and most of those incidents involved a tractor. Runovers accounted for 32 per cent of child and youth deaths, followed by rollovers (15 per cent) and drownings (11 per cent). However, the second-largest category for mechanisms of injury — “other” — underscores the various hazards on the farm that can cause injury.

Unsurprisingly, the leading cause of death differs when looking at the unique age groups. The CAIR report indicates runovers are the leading cause of fatal injury for children under the age of nine, followed by drownings. In contrast, rollovers are the leading cause of death for youths aged 10 to 19.

Most of these victims (67 per cent) were not working at the time of the tragic incident but were in the area of farm work. One in three (65 per cent) of victims was the child of the owner/operator of the farm, with visiting children/youths representing 10 per cent of victims, followed by hired workers at nine per cent.

It’s important to keep in mind that these statistics are more than just numbers. They’re a sobering reminder of the need to protect the well-being of kids on the farm.

What can you do to keep kids safe on the farm? While farm kids are known for growing up quickly, because of the environment they are brought up in, remember that they’re still kids. So, ensure any tasks you give kids on the farm are age-appropriate. While kids might be living and playing on the farm, it’s also a workplace with plenty of hazards. Take time to create a designated play area, put barriers where possible around areas kids shouldn’t access (such as bodies of water or heights), and always provide adequate supervision.

Remember to discuss safety regularly with your kids, making it a routine part of conversations, and lead by example by demonstrating safe practices in your own actions.

Together, we can create a safer, more sustainable, and vibrant future for agriculture, and make these troubling statistics a thing of the past.

A new campaign

Kids FarmSafe Week is a new public awareness campaign hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association with the aim of promoting the safety and wellness of children and youth on Canadian farms.

For its inaugural year, the campaign takes place May 13-19, 2024 and is presented by BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions. More information can be found online.

— Article courtesy of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers. CASA is funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative. For more information, visit the CASA web site, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn, or follow us on X @planfarmsafety.

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The Woodchurch High School farm opened 13 years ago, becoming a haven that nurtures the mental health and confidence of its students.

Based in the town of Birkenhead, which faces Liverpool across the River Mersey, the school counts dairy farmers and veterinarians among its former students who say the school’s farm is the reason they found their calling in life.

Woodchurch itself ranks in the top 10 per cent of local areas in England for income deprivation. Last month local authorities announced that the nearby leisure centre would be demolished.

And with UK social mobility at its lowest ebb in over 50 years, restricting people from moving to a higher income level, the farm’s ability to expose its students to people and professions far removed from the school’s urban trappings is more important than ever.

“It is really important that (young people) have an opportunity to achieve, to thrive, to actually show skills,” head teacher Rebekah Phillips said, adding that it had also helped support social and emotional development.

Each year the students compete in the prestigious Royal Cheshire and Westmorland county shows, displaying skills gained by looking after their sheep, alpacas, goats, pigs and chickens. Many have won prizes and acclaim from farming experts.

“The farming and agricultural communities have opened their arms to us,” Linda Hackett, the farm manager, said.

Year 10 (Grade 9) pupil Ella-Rose Mitchinson, 14, was awarded Student of the Year 2023 by the School Farms Network – a collection of 140 schools, many from rural communities.

For her, the farm represents a safe space, away from the world of social media and the rigours of teenage life.

“It lets me breathe,” she said, adding that she dreams of becoming a veterinary nurse.

Year 8 (Grade 7) pupil Corey Gibson, 13, agreed.

“It provides a happy place where you can be yourself. Animals won’t judge.”

Cultivating the future

Former pupil Sophie Tedesco, 27, now works as a dairy farmer in Shropshire, having first tasted farm life at the school before she left it in 2013.

“It opened my eyes to the agricultural world,” she says. “It was just completely different to what we were used to and I just loved it,” she said.

Increasingly the school is recognized as a centre for conservation due to a stroke of luck when it was gifted North Ronaldsay sheep at the farm’s opening in 2010.

Originally from Orkney, the sheep are listed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust as one of four “priority” breeds–the charity’s highest grade of concern.

“Our little school, over 13 years in our one-and-a-half acres has bred over 60 sheep, we’ve had lambs every year. Our sheep count towards the national census for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust,” farm manager Hackett said.

Headteacher Phillips says other schools have shown interest in the farm, but she laments the fact that it is never taken into consideration in the country’s academic review system, despite the broader community impact.

“We have never had one bit of vandalism, ever, in 13 years,” Phillips said.

“I think the worst incident we ever had was the uproar when a child fed a sheep a crisp (potato chip).”

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