Figures collated by AgHealth Australia’s National Farm Injury Coronial Database revealed 58 on-farm deaths were reported in 2020, the same number of cases reported in 2019.
Quad bikes and tractors were again reported as the leading causes of injury.
Seventy per cent of all reported injuries were via quads, tractors, horses or cattle, with 60 per cent of injuries occurring in Queensland
AgriFutures Australia funds research to enhance farm health and safety as part of its National Rural Issues Program, working alongside the Rural Safety and Health Alliance.
The 2020 report, Non-intentional Farm Related Incidents in Australia, highlights the total on-farm deaths, causes of injury, fatalities by age and gender, as well as the estimated economic impact of fatal injuries.
AgriFutures Australia's Rural Futures senior manager Jennifer Medway said while the statistics showed progress was being made in some areas, it was alarming to see the increase in deaths from quad bikes and side-by-sides.
“Side-by-sides have long been considered a safer option to quads, but the numbers don’t back that up,” Ms Medway said.
“They are only now increasing in popularity and are already making a sizeable contribution to the death toll.
“In fact, well over a third of on-farm deaths in 2020 are directly attributable to quad bikes and side-by-sides alone.
“If you add tractors into the mix, these three vehicles shockingly account for over half of all on-farm deaths.”
Rural Safety and Health Alliance executive officer Andrew Barrett said the figures were another sobering reminder that the cost of human life incurred in the production of the country's food and fibre was still too high.
“As a sector so proud of innovation and progress, we must be equally concerned and focused on why so little has changed in our health and safety record over time,” Mr Barrett said.
“The commitment to change has already begun with leadership from the minister, government, National Farmers’ Federation, RDCs and some of our peak bodies.
“Other non-agricultural industries have accepted that ‘inherently dangerous’ is not a condition of work but a call to action.
“Actions that target known and persistent risks, using risk controls proven to reduce the potential for death and serious injury need to be enforced if we are going to see any noticeable change in these statistics.”
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