Published reports & evaluations

Published reports

S. Brumby, Cotton, J., Latham, A.2021 Measuring a culture of safety on farms: a review of the grey and peer literatureNational Centre for Farmer Health and Deakin University

Towards Developing a Metric for Farm Safety Culture

Agriculture continually ranks among the most hazardous industries whether in Victoria, Australia or internationally. Whilst research has repeatedly confirmed a high rate of injury and death the contribution of farm safety culture to the risk of injury is unclear.  This report presents findings on how can we best measure and monitor the current and future culture of safety on Victoria’s farms to ultimately reduce death and injury.

S. Brumby, Cotton, J., Latham, A.2021 Towards Developing a Metric for Farm Safety CultureNational Centre for Farmer Health and Deakin University
Kennedy, A., Duke, S., Adams, J. and Barnes, K. 2022MH4Ag – Mental Health for Ag. National Centre for Farmer Health.Go to page
Alison Kennedy, Amity Latham, Claire McKay, Jessie Adams, Samantha Kaspers, Jacquie Cotton, Susan Brumby2021Rapid Review: Agriculture-dependent Community ResilienceGo to page
Cotton, J. and Adams, J 2021Hesse Child Farm Safety Program Evaluation Final ReportNational Centre for Farmer Health, Hamilton VICGo to page
Brumby, S.A., Wilson, B., & Willder, S. 2008Living longer on the land – sustainable farm families in broad acre agricultureRural Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC08/048Go to page
Brumby, S.A., Martin, J. & Willder, S.2008Living longer on the Land – case studies of the SustainableFarm Families Program in the Sugar and Cotton IndustriesRural Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC08/049Go to page
Boymal, J., Rogers, P., Brumby, S., and Willder, S. 2007Living longer on the land: A health program that works. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC07/094Go to page

Evaluations

2022

In July 2022, Deloitte Access Economics completed a literature review about farmer health and agricultural medicine as part of a mid-term evaluation of the National Centre for Farmer Health. The overarching aim was to examine the literature for issues of need, effectiveness, efficiency and relevance to Australian farmers’ health, wellbeing and safety. Australian material of direct relevance, as well as relevant international material in comparable countries was included—including peer review and grey literature. Do to the usefulness of the review and requests we have made it available to our farmer health website users.

2017

In June  2017, Siggins Miller Consultants (an Australian company that operates domestically in all states and territories and internationally in the region) completed a literature review about farmer health and agricultural medicine as part of a mid-term evaluation of the National Centre for Farmer Health. The overarching aim was to examine the literature for issues of need, effectiveness, efficiency and relevance to Australian farmers’ health, wellbeing and safety. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, journal articles and online sources.  Due to the usefulness of the review and requests we have made it available to our farmer health website users.

Sustainable Farm Families Program

Victorian Auditor General’s Report September 2010 2010-11:7In 2010 the Victorian Auditor General undertook an audit of the Sustainable Farm Families™ program as funded through the Victorian Department of Primary Industries drought recovery program. (2007) The audit examined whether the SFF program has been effective in improving the health and wellbeing of farming families in Victoria. It reviewed:

  • The program’s rationale and planning;
  • Its implementation; and
  • Evidence of its effectiveness.

Conclusions from the report were that participants report that they have learned from the program and have changed their behaviour as a result. This is borne out by clinical indicators that show their health is improving. Together these indicate the SFF program is effective in improving participants’ health.

Sustainable Farm Families Impact Evaluation
Roberts Evaluation Pty Ltd was contracted by the Department of Primary Industries in 2008 to provide an external evaluation of the Sustainable Farm Families program.  A qualitative approach was taken to explore in depths the impacts the program has had on participants and to attribute how the program has created or contributed to any changes observed in the data on health outcomes.

The SFF program is also regularly evaluated through a number of different frameworks:

  • On a participatory basis, through changes in clinical indicators;
  • Training Competencies and changed behaviours
  • Economic evaluation; and
  • External evaluation
Storey,J., Campbell, J.,Lange, L.,2009Sustainable Farm Families – Impact Evaluation 2007-2009Department of Primary Industries, VictoriaGo to page
Boymal, J., Rogers, P., Brumby, S., Wilder, S.2007Living Longer on the Land – A health program that works Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC7/94Go to page
Chudleigh, P., Simpson, S., Lai, J.2012April 2012 Economic Evaluation of Investment in the Farming & Fishing Health & Safety R&D Program Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC11/170Go to page