BASF partners to promote safety days geared to farm and rural children

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 19, 2016 /CNW/ - Concerned by the increasingly alarming farm safety statistics and sobering headlines in many parts of rural Canada, BASF Canada has struck a partnership with the leading national organization promoting farm safety to extend the reach of community-based educational initiatives in 2016.

BASF is sponsoring and providing on-the-ground support to the National Progressive Ag Safety Days that will be conducted by the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association (CASA) in more than 95 communities in nine provinces across Canada this year.

"All of us at BASF believe that safety is critical and we're taking action by supporting National Progressive Ag Safety days in our communities," said Melissa Parkinson, a BASF Business Representative. "Farming is the biggest job on earth, but it's also among the most dangerous in Canada – and that has to change."

According to farm safety statistics monitored by CASA, farmers are five times more likely to be killed through occupation-related accidents than any other industry. Tragically, 47 per cent of fatalities were farmers and owner-operators and 14 per cent were children.

While the safety days are geared to children who live on farms and in rural communities, Parkinson and her BASF colleagues hope the sessions will prompt kitchen-table discussions that will improve safety on the farm for everyone.

"Safety is a day-in, day-out effort that involves everyone working on the farm, living on the farm, or nearby," said Parkinson.

Since 2013, the program has grown from 69 safety days to the 95 planned this year.  It is expected that 26,000 will participate this year – up from almost 17,000. It is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in Canada.

BASF Business Representatives like Parkinson will be actively involved in most of the farm safety events scheduled across Canada for 2016. The days are concentrated between April and July and span British Columbia, the Prairie provinces, Ontario, Quebec and PEI.

About BASF

BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is a subsidiary of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany and an affiliate of BASF Corporation, Florham Park, New Jersey. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $19.3 billion in 2013. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.us. To find out more about BASF's activities in Canada, visit www.basf.ca or follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/basfcanada.

At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world's leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

SOURCE BASF Canada Inc.

Dan Muys, ON Communication, Tel: [phone] x 230, E-mail: [email protected]