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Press release

Minister Heydon and Minister Michael Healy-Rae announce funding of €1.68 million for farm safety, health and wellbeing projects

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and Minister of State with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae TD, today announced the results of the open call for proposals for farm safety, health and wellbeing projects. The successful projects were selected following an open call for proposals earlier this year.

Minister Heydon said:

"There was an excellent response to the call, with 40 projects selected for funding of €1.68 million. I am confident that these projects will make an important contribution to promoting farmer safety, health and wellbeing not only among farmers, farming families, farm workers and agricultural contractors who engage directly with the projects.”

Speaking at Teagasc Moorepark Dairy Open Day today, Minister Healy-Rae said:

“I am pleased with the broad range of approaches the projects employ to support farmers, farming families, farm workers and agricultural contractors, and in particular the positive response to the call for the provision of health and wellbeing checks, tractor driving awareness training for children over 14 years of age and chainsaw training. The projects also highlight to the wider farming community how the challenges around farm safety, health and wellbeing that they face can be tackled."

The projects are being funded from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s dedicated farm safety budget. Successful projects under the call cover one or more of the following themes: farm safety, farmers’ physical health, farmers’ mental health and wellbeing, farmers’ physical and mental health checks, tractor driving awareness training for children 14 years of age and older, chainsaw training for farmers and farm safety, health and wellbeing events/engagement.

Minister Healy-Rae added:

“The success of the initiatives in helping to improve farm safety, health and wellbeing will depend on all those in the farming community getting involved with the projects. I urge everyone involved in farming to avail of the opportunities that these projects have to offer.”


Notes to Editors

Details of the successful projects approved for funding under the Call are set out in the table below.

Applicant

Project Title

€ Funding

Irish Farmers’ Association

Irish Farmer Health Checks 2025

250,000

Irish Farmers Journal

Irish Farmers Journal Health and Wellbeing Series

157,240

Agriland

Farm Safety Series 2025

147,834

Embrace FARM

Outside the Farm Gate

125,000

Agri Aware

Sowing Wellbeing 2.0

100,000

Amella Wellbeing Coaching & Consultancy Ltd

Farm Well Hub

90,000

JPC Plant and Safety Training

Farm Safety Training

90,000

Irish Rural Link 

Farm Safety Community Champion Programme

60,000

Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors

in Ireland (FCI2)

New Modern Young Operator Skills Training Program

57,750

FRS Training

Farm Family CPD Extension

42,726

Frank Hynes

Break Free from Farming Stress

40,000

Towra Livestock Services

Safe handling of Livestock  & Animal welfare officer Training 

40,000

Drinagh Co-Op

Drinagh Sunsafe Initiative

39,360

NEWKD Farm Families 1

Loc8 Farm Safety

36,900

Irish Heart Foundation

Farmers Have Hearts – Rapid Heath Check Programme

35,429

Social Farming Ireland and Leitrim Development Company

Enhancing Mental Health and Wellbeing Through Mentorship for Social Farmers

32,975

Midland Agri Consultants (Paul Belton)

Lets talk about it! A warm invitation for a friendly chat with other farmers

32,460

Mountbellew Agricultural College

Drive Safe: Tractor Driving Skills for Tomorrow’s Leaders

30,455

Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP)

FIT4FARMLIFE 2025

25,000

FORUM Connemara CLG

Farm Community Health & Safety FORUM

20,356

Mayo Mental Health Associations 

Taking Stock

20,000

NEWKD Farm Families 2

NEWKD Safe Tractor Driving Skills

19,600

Midland Agri Consultants (Paul Belton) 2

Farm Machinery Training and Education for Future Operators

19,200

Melanie Downes - Horse Knowing

Equine Assisted Learning

18,110

South Kerry Development Partnership CLG

SKDP Farmer Health, Safety & Wellbeing Initiative

16,329

North-West Forest Services Ltd

Enhancing Farm Safety Through Targeted Training

15,000

Teagasc

Livestock safety training workshop

12,435

Carlow Co Council

Farmer Resilience Programme

12,300

Laura Tully

Fit Farmers

12,300

Kieran O Brien

Farmers health and well Being

11,520

Jacqueline Willis - Horse and Harmony

Equine Assisted Learning- for Farmer Wellbeing

11,350

Muintir Na Tíre

Farm Security Walks and Property Branding Events

10,000

Deirdre Galvin

Harvesting health project

7,500

Castlemaine Family Resource Centre

Mid Kerry Farmers & Friends Health, Safety and Wellbeing Project

7,500

HSE Health & Wellbeing, Integrated Health Area of Dublin North County

SunSmart for Farmers: Skin Cancer Prevention and Importance of Early Diagnosis

7,201

Mark Twohig

A Place to Pause: Farm-Based Mental Health and Reflection

6,720

Torc Community & Family Resource Centre CLG

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses

6,562

IRD Duhallow

Preparing For Tomorrow

6,230

Dublin upland and North County Groups

Farms Harmony

5,898

Festina Lente Enterprises Ltd

A Nature Based Approach to Improving Farmers Well-being and Resilience

5,312