Many of the big names in New Zealand agriculture have launched a new health and safety group at Parliament in an effort to make farming safer.
Photo: 123RF
In the year to date, 43 people have died on the job - the same number for the whole of last year.
Of that 15 were in the agriculture sector, more than in any other industry.
The 24 founding members of the new Agricultural Leaders' Health and Safety Action Group have committed to learn from each others' experiences in health and safety and to improve the performance of their own businesses.
The foundation members are chief executive and senior leaders from some of the larger agricultural organisations in the service sector, corporate farming and industry.
Landcorp chief executive Steve Carden, who chaired a steering committee to establish the group, said they also wanted to reach out to the wider sector to help provide tools and support.
The intention was to have as wide a membership as possible, from businesses to individual farmers, Mr Carden said.
