A free farm safety course has been launched, giving farmers the chance to access formal safety training without paying course fees.

The Southern Star reports the new programme targets the everyday risks that dominate farm accident statistics: machinery, livestock handling, and work with children and older family members present on the holding.

Why does free training matter now?

Cost is one of the most commonly cited barriers when farmers skip safety training. A course delivered at no charge removes that obstacle, and it arrives at a point when farm safety remains under sustained scrutiny from regulators, insurers and farm organisations.

For farm businesses, the practical value sits in three areas:

• Compliance: documented training strengthens a farm's position on health and safety obligations.
• Insurance: insurers increasingly ask for evidence of training when assessing risk and premiums.
• Accident reduction: structured courses address the high-risk routines — tractor work, slurry, livestock — where most serious incidents occur.

Who should sign up?

The course suits full-time farmers, part-time operators and farm family members who carry out tasks around the yard. Family involvement matters: children and elderly relatives are involved in a disproportionate share of fatal farm incidents, and a household-level course reaches people who would never book a conventional ticketed event.

Free access also lowers the threshold for farm workers and relief staff, groups that often miss out on formal training because employers hesitate at the price of multiple bookings.

What the launch changes

Until now, farmers in the region wanting certified safety training generally paid per head or waited for sporadically funded workshops. A standing free course converts safety training from an occasional expense into a routine decision.

That shift matters for farm planning. A farmer who can book a free slot this season does not need to weigh training against a fuel bill or a vet visit. It also gives farm advisers and co-ops a concrete referral point when they identify unsafe practice during visits.

How to take part

Farmers interested in the course should check the full announcement in The Southern Star for enrolment details, session dates and venue information. Early registration is advisable, because free training places typically fill quickly once dates are published.

Farmers should watch for confirmation of upcoming session dates and venues, and for whether the organisers expand the programme if demand runs high.