ACC figures reveal there is a farming injury in New Zealand every 28 minutes, but Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty branch president John Scrimgeour fears the injury rate may be even higher.

Figures also show a farmer is killed by a work related accident every 23 days.

John says the injury rate could be higher because many farmers tend not to report less serious injuries.

'The scary bit is that it is probably worse than that.

'It does not surprise me because of the nature of the work that farmers are involved in.

'I have just been drenching some bulls myself and they are pretty unpredictable animals and they can heave a man around a bit.”

Injuries and fatalities on the farm cost ACC about $65 million last year.

A total of 17,700 injuries were reported in 2010 and 16 of those were fatal.

'It is frustrating telling people how to do certain jobs so they remain safe and have them ignore those instructions.

'That's a bit of a challenge because you don't always work alongside people.”

John says the use of two and four wheel motorbikes is the most dangerous part of his farming operation.

'ACC have been actively involved in a programme over the last few months encouraging quad bike safety because it's amazing how many serious accidents are caused on those.”