Better Data, stronger Insights, safer agriculture

As Farm Safety Week shines a spotlight on the importance of preventing injuries and fatalities in agriculture, new evidence highlights why a strong, consistent understanding of farm safety risks is more important than ever.

The latest Health and Safety Data for Australian Farms (June 2026) report shows that between 2019 and 2025, there were 427 unintentional deaths on Australian farms, with almost three-quarters (73 percent) linked to work-related activities. Vehicle-related hazards continue to be the primary cause, with farm vehicles (quads, side by side and farm utes) involved in nearly half (49 percent) of all fatalities, while mobile plant, including tractors and telehandlers, accounted for more than a quarter (26 percent) of deaths.

The findings reinforce an important reality: while progress has been made, deaths and serious injuries on Australian farms remain persistently high. Understanding where, how and why these incidents occur is essential to reducing their impact and preventing future tragedies.

That is where the Ag Safety Data Net (ASDN) plays a critical role.

Produced for the Rural Safety and Health Alliance, the ASDN is a national initiative designed to bring together and analyse information from multiple sources to provide a clearer and more comprehensive picture of safety on Australian farms.

By integrating data from sources such as the National Coroners’ Information System, Safe Work Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and rural media reporting, the ASDN provides stronger insights into what is happening on farms and, importantly, why. The project is also exploring additional data sources relevant to agriculture, including hospital admissions and retrieval data from ambulance and rural flying doctor services.

Using nationally consistent methods, the ASDN produces industry-endorsed safety measures at national, state, regional and commodity levels. This approach provides an evidence base that supports informed decision-making, targeted prevention activities and the ability to monitor safety performance over time.

For farmers, the value of the data is practical. It helps identify the most significant risks affecting different commodities and farming enterprises, allowing producers to focus on the prevention strategies that can make the biggest difference to safety on their farms. For industry organisations and policymakers, it provides credible evidence to guide investment priorities and policy development.

The latest data shows that farm safety remains a significant challenge for Australian agriculture.

Kerri-Lynn Peachey is part of the project team for the Ag Safety Data Net and a broadacre farmer in NSW.

“The data shows that NSW and QLD recorded the highest number of fatalities, accounting for 30 per cent and 25 per cent of deaths respectively” says Kerri-Lynn.

“Certain groups continue to be disproportionately affected. Males and adults aged 55 years and older were most frequently killed in farm incidents. Tragically, children aged 0-14 years accounted for 10 per cent of all fatalities, with incidents involving water, side by sides and quads featuring prominently.

“The injury data tells a similarly concerning story.

“We can only capture part of the picture from workers’ compensation claims – as many farm owner-operators are not covered by compensation schemes – but they still provide valuable insights into the types of injuries occurring on farms and the factors contributing to them. “The primary causes of injury were falls, muscular stress, coming into contact with animal, moving objects and vehicle incidents.

“These findings reinforce the need for ongoing prevention efforts focused on farm vehicles and machinery, falls, manual handling and animal-related injuries.”

Beyond the personal impact, the consequences of poor safety outcomes extend across farming businesses and rural communities. Every death or serious injury is a tragedy for individuals, families and colleagues. It can have lasting effects on farm productivity, wellbeing and succession planning.

The economic cost is also substantial. The combined impact of farm deaths and injuries is conservatively estimated to place a recurring burden of over $300 million each year on Australian agriculture. High rates of injury and fatality can also affect agriculture’s social licence and influence its ability to attract and retain the workforce needed to support a productive and sustainable future.

The key message from the latest report is clear: farm safety has improved, but not enough. More work is needed to reduce the toll of preventable injuries and deaths across the sector.

The Ag Safety Data Net represents an important step forward by providing the evidence and insights needed to drive meaningful change. Having reliable, nationally consistent data enables industry to better understand risks, measure progress and prioritise actions that deliver safer outcomes.

The ASDN builds on decades of farm safety reporting supported by AgriFutures Australia and is delivered by a dedicated project team at AgHealth Australia, working alongside researchers from James Cook University and supported by technical experts and stakeholder representatives. The project is an initiative of the Rural Safety & Health Alliance and is funded by Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Australian Wool Innovation, Australian Pork Limited, Dairy Australia and AgriFutures Australia.

This Farm Safety Week, the message is simple: better data leads to stronger insights, and stronger insights help create safer farms, stronger businesses and healthier rural communities.