When the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, millions of people around the world share in the excitement of ringing in the new year. It is a time to reflect on the year gone by and to raise a glass to the new opportunities and fresh beginnings that 2026 will bring.
For many, it is about setting personal goals – living healthier, spending more time with family or working on self-improvement. As dairy producers, we often set resolutions around improving things like nutrition, milk quality, genetics and management. However, we sometimes overlook a vital part of our operation: farm safety.
I often hear producers say, “We don’t need that … it’s just a few employees,” or “That won’t happen to us,” or “My wife takes care of that.” The truth is, not having a solid dairy farm safety plan can lead to serious accidents, injuries and illnesses that can affect your team’s health and well-being, and even harm your bottom line. It is never too late to take safety seriously and put a plan in place.
Let’s challenge ourselves to rethink how we approach safety on the farm this year. Do you have a dairy farm safety program in place? Is it written down? Do you have regular conversations with your crew about safety? Are your employees getting formal training? Do you make safety a top priority every day?
Sometimes, a small shift in how we think about farm safety can be the spark that gets us on track to creating a better safety program. Yes, there is a lot of legislation around farm safety, no matter where you are, but when we start talking about rules and regulations, people tend to shut down. It can quickly feel like a hassle instead of a necessity. But instead of focusing on the legal side, let’s remember the human side of it. Nobody wants to see someone get hurt, or worse, on the farm. No one wants to be the one to call an employee’s spouse or family member to tell them there has been a serious accident, whether it is from a manure pit or getting pinned by equipment.
The first step in shifting your mindset is simple: Commit to safety in writing as the employer. Then, take the time to talk to your team about what that means. You can use these conversations as an opportunity for monthly safety talks, where you can address questions, talk about real incidents on your farm and discuss dangerous shortcuts that need to be avoided. The company’s commitment statement should be signed and dated by the person with the highest authority on the farm and displayed on your safety communication board for everyone to see. It is a good idea to renew this commitment annually, starting each January with a fresh resolution to prioritize safety. This shift isn’t just important for you as the employer; it is important for your entire crew. Everyone needs to take responsibility for safety on the dairy, and everyone needs to be on the same page.
I’ve provided a sample dairy farm safety commitment statement (Figure 1) for you to use. Feel free to make it your own by adding information specific to your operation, such as specific expectations and procedures. I challenge you to shift your mindset and take that first step toward a safer, healthier year on the farm.
