The Story of the Agricultural Health and Safety Network

In 1988, the Agricultural Health & Safety Network (The Network) began as a joint venture between the Centre for Agricultural Medicine, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and six Saskatchewan Rural Municipalities.

Since then, the Centre for Agricultural Medicine became the Institute of Agricultural Rural and Environmental Health; the Canadian Centre for Health in Agriculture and eventually to what is now known as the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRHA).  The Network functions as part of CCRAH’s rural extension division and grew to 213 RMs in 2018. From the Network’s location at the University of Saskatchewan, occupational health and safety information and programs are delivered to over 27,000 Saskatchewan farm families -  more than half of all the farm families in Saskatchewan.

Rural Municipalities pay an annual fee of $4.60 per active farm family plus a $400 base membership fee to benefit from Network resources and services. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture funds are combined with membership fees to develop and deliver farm health and safety educational materials and services to the Network RMs.  The professionally trained staff include experts in health education, occupational health and safety, nursing and support staff who have a farming background.  The Network staff recruit funds though granting agencies to augment Rural Municipality fees and Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture funds.