Syngenta Australia, in collaboration with #PlantASeedForSafety, is excited to announce the launch of a captivating photo competition as their first joint project.

The competition aims to shine a spotlight on the remarkable individuals who embody #SafetySwagger by demonstrating outstanding leadership in health, safety, and well-being in rural, regional, and remote Australia.

By celebrating these champions, the competition seeks to promote positive farm safety messages and inspire others to prioritise their well-being within the agricultural community.

The photo competition invites farmers, farm workers, farm advisors and members of the agricultural community to nominate the people in their lives that go above and beyond to prioritise the well-being of themselves and others in their farming communities.

All that’s needed to enter the competition is for a nominator to submit an image that captures their #SafetySwagger hero in real-life examples of health, safety, and well-being on farm as well as a 250-word description on why they think that person has #SafetySwagger.

The competition aims to showcase practices, initiatives, or daily actions that contribute to creating safer and healthier rural workplaces and communities at large.

"We are excited to launch this photo competition in partnership with #PlantASeedForSafety," said Paul Luxton, managing director and country head at Syngenta Australia New Zealand.

"It provides a platform to recognise and celebrate the individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in health, safety, and well-being within the agricultural sector. Through their inspiring stories and images, we hope to promote positive farm safety messages and encourage others to adopt similar practices."

The photo competition will run for nearly two months, giving participants time to capture and submit their entries.

A panel of judges, consisting of representatives from both the recently announced Syngenta Rural Health, Safety and Wellbeing Steering Committee and #PlantASeedForSafety, will evaluate the submissions based on the following criteria: strong connection with rural, regional and/or remote Australia, positive impact on health, safety, and well-being, and the potential to inspire others in the agricultural community.

One winner and a runner-up will be selected, with prizes awarded to both the nominator and a nominee in each instance. The nominators will receive a prize for recognising the leadership and initiative of their nominee, while the nominees will be awarded for their outstanding contributions to health, safety, and well-being.

“The competition aims to not only showcase examples of what great leadership looks like in the context of rural health, safety and wellbeing, but also to shine a spotlight on the strengths of our industry – to share positive messages about farm safety, and to amplify the innate level of care we have for our people,” says Alex Thomas, founder of PlantASeedforSafety.

“#SafetySwagger means different things to different people, but in short, its someone who walks the talk and talks the talk and who prioritises the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and those around them. By showcasing their stories and images, we’ll inspire others and foster a collective commitment to creating safer and healthier workplaces and rural communities at large."

The winning entries will be featured on the websites and social media platforms of both Syngenta Australia and #PlantASeedForSafety, providing national recognition for the leaders in health, safety, and well-being.

For more information on how to participate in the photo competition, examples of #SafetySwagger, and submission guidelines, please visit the #PlantASeedForSafety website: www.plantaseedforsafety.com/swagger.

Don't miss this opportunity to showcase #SafetySwagger in your farming community. Entries will be accepted until 31 August 2023.