Campaign to reduce fatal accidents on dairy farms

The news that dairy farms are responsible for 58 per cent of farm deaths has spurred on Icos, the umbrella group for dairy co-ops, to announce a new farm-safety campaign.

Milk volumes are expected to increase by 50 per cent by 2020 on foot of the milk quota regime being abolished at the end of March.

Leading industry figures have expressed concern about the likely increase in accident numbers.

Icos president Martin Keane said its dairy co-op members would work with the FBD Champions for Change programme to target 20,000 farmers with information packs on farm safety.

Mr Keane said Icos would also erect safety signs in more than 250 co-operative stores nationwide.

He noted that deaths in the agriculture sector increased by 87 per cent last year, with 25 adults and five children killed.

For the fifth year running, the agriculture sector recorded the highest number of fatalities and accounted for more than half of all farm deaths.