Part 2: Farm Safety, Mental Health, and Farmland Protection Drive Agriculture Committee Discussions - 02/12/2024

Leadership elections and committee direction

Bob Rogers was nominated and approved as Chair, and Jackie Burley was nominated and approved as Vice Chair. Both accepted their roles and were formally appointed under the committee’s terms of reference.

For local farmers and residents, this matters because leadership sets priorities. Having experienced voices in these roles helps ensure farm safety, mental health, and land use issues actually make it onto agendas and back to council.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

View the entire PEC Council Meeting; or view our recap.

Farm safety signage and rural road risks

Bob Rogers raised the issue of slow moving vehicle signage and explained that the county previously created signs that did not meet provincial approval. Even though the county put time and money into the effort, the province never moved forward, and the staff lead on the file has since moved to a different role.

This directly affects rural residents and farmers who regularly deal with fast moving traffic, tractors, and combines on busy roads, especially in spring and summer.

Committee members discussed a new grant application by the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture to purchase additional signs. Bob Rogers explained that if the grant is approved, the signs would be donated to the county, but the county would still need to install them. He also suggested donated posts to keep costs low so the county’s main cost would be labour.

Councillor Janice Maynard asked whether the committee should formally state its support. After discussion with staff, the committee agreed to receive the update now and bring it back to the next meeting once the grant decision is known and preferred locations are identified.

Farm Tour and councillor engagement

Bob Rogers led the discussion on the annual farm tour and noted strong feedback from last year, but also suggested keeping it simpler this time. The focus would be on fewer stops and less complexity, possibly even a single location.

John Thompson shared that the farm group is considering a lighter version of the tour and does not need much logistical help. The biggest need is getting councillors to attend.

Councillor Janice Maynard joked that offering food helps turnout, but also reinforced the point that councillor participation matters.

Noxious weeds and worker safety

Bob Rogers raised concerns that county safety training only focused on wild parsnip and should also include giant hogweed and poison ivy. He shared a real example of how even experienced farmers can unknowingly be exposed.

Several committee members, including Jackie Burley, agreed that any plant that requires medical attention should be included in training. A motion was passed to bring this recommendation to county staff.

Guardian Network and farm mental health

Multiple committee members spoke strongly in support of the Guardian Network training.

Steve and John both said the training was useful and practical, especially for learning how to notice warning signs and have conversations before things escalate.

Councillor Janice Maynard shared that she took magnets from the session and distributed them, explaining that the program supports not just farmers but also spouses, kids, and parents. She emphasized that the trainers understand agriculture, which makes people more comfortable using the program.

Jackie Burley said the biggest issue now is awareness. The information exists, but many farmers and families still do not know where to find it.

Ideas were shared about outreach through fairs, county communications, libraries, feed stores, and county newsletters. John also pointed out that there are two complementary programs and that both should be promoted together.

A motion was passed recommending that council direct staff to develop a communication strategy for both programs.

Earth Week, farmland trust, and cost concerns

Bob Rogers explained that a request came forward connected to Earth Week and farmland trust discussions. While he supports farmland protection, he raised concerns about high legal costs and whether community resources should be used to cover private legal expenses.

Councillor Janice Maynard said she supports the discussion and information sharing, especially since many landowners may not understand how land trusts work or how to start.

Dee Hazel shared firsthand experience with farmland trust work and explained that most funding is raised by the trust itself, with only limited support from the County Foundation.

After discussion, the committee agreed to assign Dee Hazel plus one additional member to work with the Environmental Advisory Committee and the County Foundation to connect with interested farmers.

Planning working group and follow ups

John corrected the name of the county health and safety staff contact to ensure records are accurate, which staff confirmed would be updated.

Councillor Janice Maynard asked that the planning working group still help with outreach for mental health programs at agricultural fairs. The committee agreed, and follow up was planned.

Jackie Burley also committed to attending an upcoming symposium and bringing back information and materials.

April meeting date and eclipse confusion

The committee questioned why the April meeting was flagged for rescheduling due to the solar eclipse, since it occurs earlier in the day.

After some light discussion, they agreed to keep the April 8 meeting, with a minor time adjustment noted, and leave flexibility for the Chair to cancel if needed.

This avoids unnecessary disruption and keeps the committee schedule predictable for volunteer members and the public.

What It Means for Locals

Having Bob Rogers as Chair and Jackie Burley as Vice Chair ensures experienced voices guide priorities on farm safety, mental health, and land use, giving local farmers confidence their issues are heard and advocated for at council.

Discussions about slow-moving vehicle signs and grant-supported installations show that projects addressing rural road risks are progressing carefully, helping prevent accidents during peak farm traffic periods.

Simplified tours with better councillor participation allow decision makers to experience farming firsthand, which influences policy decisions affecting roads, drainage, zoning, and rural services.

Expanding training to cover giant hogweed and poison ivy enhances safety for both county workers and the public who interact with farms, roadsides, and trails.

A motion to develop a communication plan ensures more farmers and families are aware of mental health resources, reducing stigma and providing timely support for the agricultural community.

Committee engagement with cost-conscious approaches means farmland protection discussions will move forward thoughtfully, balancing preservation with practical funding concerns.

Active follow-up and symposium attendance demonstrate the committee is gathering tools and information to share with the community, reinforcing transparency and practical action.

Keeping the April meeting date stable avoids unnecessary disruption and maintains predictable scheduling for volunteers and the public.

---

Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 51:27. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.