The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has today (Thursday, April 17) launched an open call for farmer safety, health and wellbeing projects.

The project launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon and Minister of State with responsibility for farm safety, Michael Healy-Rae has been dedicated funding of €2.5 million under the farm safety budget for this year.

The projects will support and promote best practice and bring about behavioural change to minimise the risks to the safety, health, and wellbeing of everyone on farms, including farmers, workers, farm families and visitors.

On launching the open call, Minister Healy-Rae said: "Farming is the most dangerous occupation with regard to fatalities in the workplace. It can also be a stressful occupation.

"Recognising the unique challenges that farmers face, this open call will support projects that support best practice that minimises the risk to the safety of our farmers and promote positive physical and mental health and wellbeing across the farming sector.

"I am confident that by working together, the successful applicants will deliver projects which will have a practical and positive impact on the lives of farmers, their families and everyone involved in farming.”

Minister Heydon said that the call "builds on the success" of last year's funding, and will "encourage" stakeholders to deliver projects that "not only promote farm safety, but also the importance of physical and mental health among farmers".

Successful projects under the call will cover one or more of the following themes:

Farm safety;
Farmers’ physical health;
Farmers’ mental health and wellbeing;
Farmers’ physical and mental health checks;
Tractor driving awareness training for children 14 years of age and older;
Chainsaw training for farmers;
Farm safety, health and wellbeing events/engagement.

The closing date for applications is Monday, May 19, 2025 before 5:00p.m. Applications under the open call can be sent by registered post or emailed to [email protected].