The NDP is looking for Albertans' feedback on their recommendations to the Occupational, Health and Safety Code; especially farmers and ranchers.

They announced yesterday, the public will have 11 weeks to provide their input before regulations begin to be drafted.

Since May 2016, six Technical Working Groups (TWG) made up of members from the agriculture industry, and labor groups, have been preparing recommendations.

Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, says farmers are engaged and involved in this process.

"Our government took action to make life better for farm and ranch workers by providing them with basic workplace protections. These reports came as a result of the hard work of all members of the technical working groups and our farming and ranching community. I remain committed to working with them as we move forward."

Carlier says, over the next 11 weeks, he will talk to individual farming groups about these recommendations.

Christina Gray, Minister of Labor, says every worker in Alberta has the right to a safe and healthy workplace.

"I'm pleased to be moving forward and sharing, as promised, the technical working groups' recommendations related to farms and ranches. I encourage all Albertans to provide input on how we can carefully craft rules that will balance the need for worker safety while upholding the family farm way of life."

To view the recommendations, you can visit their website. Your feedback can be given on the website, or by emailing farmandranch@gov.ab.ca before January 15, 2018.


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