Ms Alma Jordan:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak here today. I am the founder of AgriKids, which was created following the deaths of two little boys in August 2014. Since I started it some ten years ago, through my own savings with no human resources or experience, I have managed to grow and create an organisation that has attracted 80,000 children to participate in farm safety workshops in schools and communities throughout the country. I have created resources, such as storybooks, training manuals and handbooks, which have gone as far afield as Canada and the United States as well as throughout Ireland and the UK. Our children are passionate learners. They are passionate about farming and they are passionate to share their learning in their homes and communities. Their influence cannot be underrated. If we want to see a change in behaviours and cultures let us start with our children. They have the capacity to influence and create this much-needed change.

This topic needs common sense, compassion and compromise. We need to work with farmers. We need to listen to them and understand and appreciate the uniqueness of a farm as both a workplace and a home. We welcome the opportunity to speak before the committee and we believe we have unique insight and willingness to help to bring about change. Recent funding calls have shown a commitment by the Department of agriculture to invest in solutions to this issue and we are extremely grateful to be in receipt of these supports. However, it would be remiss of me not to offer some recommendations. After consulting teachers regarding an existing funding call for children and young people, we feel there is a missed opportunity. The rules state the projects are to be concluded between September and November in schools. This is what we consider to be the off-season. It will be challenging to achieve results when competing with back to school, mid-term breaks and pre-Christmas activities. It would be much easier and more cost-effective if the same effort were undertaken in spring and summer. It would also be of great benefit if the funding could support our core objectives and activities and allow us to do what we do, rather than having us divert resources and people away from our core activities.