USDA celebrates farm safety week

Farm safety week is being recognized by a number of organizations, including the USDA.
Farm safety week is being recognized by a number of organizations, including the USDA.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is throwing its support behind this year's National Farm Safety and Health Week.

This will mark the 66th year that the week is being celebrated. Along with the CSREES, the National Safety Council and the National Educational Center for Agricultural Safety are taking part in the effort to make farming safer for adults and children.

The theme for this year's farm safety week is Rural Roadway Safety: Alert, Aware and Alive. One of the goals of the theme is to make sure farmers and drivers take care when dealing with farm equipment on the road.

When seeing farm equipment on a street, drivers are encouraged to slow down and be patient. While navigating roads, farmers need to make sure to put slow-moving-vehicle signs on their farm equipment and have their emergency lights flashing.

Along with road safety, the week focuses on making sure children are safe when dealing with farm issues. For example, CSREES tries to promote farm safety through initiatives like the AgrAbility Program and the Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification program.

"These programs provide opportunities for disabled farmers and ranchers to continue to be successful in agricultural ventures and address youth farm safety education and certification in keeping youth and youth agricultural workers safe," the CSREES noted.

For those who want to take part, National Farm Safety and Health Week is being celebrated through September 26.
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