The Department for Agriculture has revealed the 40 farm safety, health and wellbeing projects that will receive a collective €1.68m in funding.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon and Minister of State with special responsibility for Farm Safety Michael Healy-Rae made the announcement on Wednesday for the projects that will be awarded funding from the Department of Agriculture’s dedicated farm safety budget.

The biggest award, to the value of €250,000, went to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) for their Irish Farmer Health Checks 2025. This was followed by the Irish Farmers Journal’s Health and Wellbeing Series receiving €157,240.

Speaking at Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day, Minister Healy-Rae said there is a broad range of approaches these projects employ to support farmers, farming families, farm workers and agricultural contractors.

“In particular the positive response to the call for the provision of health and wellbeing checks, tractor driving awareness training for children over 14 years of age and chainsaw training,” he said.

“The projects also highlight to the wider farming community how the challenges around farm safety, health and wellbeing that they face can be tackled."

Funding

Successful projects under the call 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 and farm safety, health and wellbeing events/engagement.

“The success of the initiatives in helping to improve farm safety, health and wellbeing will depend on all those in the farming community getting involved with the projects,” added Healy-Rae.

“I urge everyone involved in farming to avail of the opportunities that these projects have to offer.”

In addition, Minister Martin Heydon said: "I am confident that these projects will make an important contribution to promoting farmer safety, health and wellbeing not only among farmers, farming families, farm workers and agricultural contractors who engage directly with the projects.”

Projects

  • Irish Farmers’ Association - Irish Farmer Health Checks 2025 - €250,000.

  • Irish Farmers Journal - Irish Farmers Journal Health and Wellbeing Series - €157,240.

  • Agriland - Farm Safety Series 2025 - €147,834.

  • Embrace FARM - Outside the Farm Gate - €125,000.

  • Agri Aware - Sowing Wellbeing 2.0 - €100,000.

  • Amella Wellbeing Coaching & Consultancy Ltd - Farm Well Hub - €90,000.

  • JPC Plant and Safety Training - Farm Safety Training - €90,000.

  • Irish Rural Link - Farm Safety Community Champion Programme - €60,000.

  • Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI2) - New Modern Young Operator Skills Training Program - €57,750.

  • FRS Training - Farm Family CPD Extension - €42,726.

  • Frank Hynes - Break Free from Farming Stress - €40,000.

  • Towra Livestock Services - Safe handling of Livestock and Animal welfare officer Training - €40,000.

  • Drinagh Co-Op - Drinagh Sunsafe Initiative - €39,360.

  • NEWKD Farm Families 1 - Loc8 Farm Safety - €36,900.

  • Irish Heart Foundation - Farmers Have Hearts – Rapid Heath Check Programme - €35,429.
  • Social Farming Ireland and Leitrim Development Company - Enhancing Mental Health and Wellbeing Through Mentorship for Social Farmers - €32,975.
  • Midland Agri Consultants (Paul Belton) - Lets talk about it! A warm invitation for a friendly chat with other farmers - €32,460.
  • Mountbellew Agricultural College - Drive Safe: Tractor Driving Skills for Tomorrow’s Leaders - €30,455.
  • Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP) - FIT4FARMLIFE 2025 - €25,000.
  • FORUM Connemara CLG - Farm Community Health & Safety FORUM - €20,356.
  • Mayo Mental Health Associations - Taking Stock - €20,000.
  • NEWKD Farm Families 2 - NEWKD Safe Tractor Driving Skills - €19,600.
  • Midland Agri Consultants (Paul Belton) 2 - Farm Machinery Training and Education for Future Operators - €19,200.
  • Melanie Downes - Horse Knowing - Equine Assisted Learning - €18,110.
  • South Kerry Development Partnership CLG - SKDP Farmer Health, Safety & Wellbeing Initiative - €16,329.
  • North-West Forest Services Ltd - Enhancing Farm Safety Through Targeted Training - €15,000.
  • Teagasc - Livestock safety training workshop - €12,435.
  • Carlow Co Council - Farmer Resilience Programme - €12,300.
  • Laura Tully - Fit Farmers - €12,300.
  • Kieran O Brien - Farmers health and well Being - €11,520.
  • Jacqueline Willis - Horse and Harmony - Equine Assisted Learning- for Farmer Wellbeing - €11,350.
  • Muintir Na Tíre - Farm Security Walks and Property Branding Events - €10,000.
  • Deirdre Galvin - Harvesting health project - €7,500.
  • Castlemaine Family Resource Centre - Mid Kerry Farmers & Friends Health, Safety and Wellbeing Project - €7,500.
  • HSE Health & Wellbeing, Integrated Health Area of Dublin North County - SunSmart for Farmers: Skin Cancer Prevention and Importance of Early Diagnosis - €7,201.
  • Mark Twohig - A Place to Pause: Farm-Based Mental Health and Reflection - €6,720.
  • Torc Community & Family Resource Centre CLG - Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses - €6,562.
  • IRD Duhallow - Preparing For Tomorrow - €6,230.
  • Dublin upland and North County Groups - Farms Harmony - €5,898.
  • Festina Lente Enterprises Ltd - A Nature Based Approach to Improving Farmers Well-being and Resilience - €5,312.

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