To ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development what steps her Department has taken to encourage the wider community to promote and facilitate farm safety.

Since May 2012 my Department has been working as a Partner of the Farm Safety Partnership to improve safety on our farms. The Partnership also includes representatives from the Health and Safety Executive for NI, Ulster Farmers Union, Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster, National Farmers Union Mutual and NIAPA.

The Partnership launched its second Action Plan on 7 April 2014. This Action Plan will cover the years 2014 to 2017.

The aim of this action plan is to influence future behaviour so that farmers, their families, and their employees are capable, motivated, and able to work safely to reduce accidents on farms. A number of interventions are contained in the action plan to achieve this aim. The interventions will cover the four areas of Information and Promotion of SAFE Working, Training and Education, Motivating Good Behaviour and Discouraging Poor Practice, and Support and Assistance.

The Action Plan has 17 key actions including the following:

Continue to expand upon the farm safe Information and Promotion Programme through advertising, media, events and other communication channels,

Deliver a series of seasonally relevant Farm Safety Spotlight Weeks to capitalise on existing one to many contact opportunities,

Identify and utilise Farm Safety Champions to promote and encourage good farm safety management,

Develop and implement a Farm Safety Awards Scheme to recognise excellence, good practice and innovation,

Develop an Affiliate Scheme to encourage businesses and organisation to support the aims of the Farm Safety Partnership in the north of Ireland.