Well-known safety advocate Maree Gooch hands reins to Holly Freeman after eight years at SafeFarms WA

As the nation marks National Farm Safety Week, a new executive officer has taken over the leadership at SafeFarms WA.

Holly Freeman has accepted the position after former head Maree Gooch stepped aside from the role after eight years to take up the project management and development of a new work health and safety app sponsored by CSBP.

Ms Freeman hails from a farming family at Mullewa in WA’s Mid West and has worked across different sectors with a focus on management and marketing.

She will be the new face and provide leadership to the organisation as it continues to support the industry to develop and implement safe farm practices through awareness campaigns and training workshops.

The Safe Farms board said having Ms Freeman on board was about Safe Farms WA “continuing the good work that has been done before, as well as providing fresh ideas and energy across the organisation”.

“There were a number of high calibre expressions of interest for the role and Ms Freeman was a standout,” the board said.

“She has broad networks with youth on her side and is passionate about the ag industry and supporting farmers and the ag industry to improve safety.”

Ms Gooch, who had worked in the role since 2015, said she had “thoroughly enjoyed the past eight years, though it really doesn’t seem that long”.

“I am most pleased to have seen a shift in the industry as to how farmers approach and implement WHS in their business and am very proud to have been a part of that,” Ms Gooch said.

“Its taken some huge efforts from all of us on the SafeFarms team and board, but the industry will be better off for the improvements they make related to WHS.”