CLEARFIELD, Pa. (RFD News) — National Farm Safety and Health Week is putting a spotlight on ways farmers can reduce risks on the job.
Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, says the observance dates back more than 80 years.
“FDR signed the first National Farm Safety and Health proclamation way back in 1944. It’s always been the third week in September ever since then. Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, and the family farm is exempt from OSHA rules. So we’re looking at getting the message out to the farming and to the rural community about what they can do to keep themselves safe. We’re not looking at pushing regulations or anything like that. We just want to get the message out there about how they can farm safer.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 475 fatal work injuries in agriculture in 2024, putting the industry’s fatality rate at six times the overall U.S. rate.
As harvest gets underway, rural roadway safety is another focus of the week.
Jana Davidson with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to discuss keeping farmers and motorists safe around slow-moving equipment.
In her conversation with RFD News, Davidson said about 42% of farm equipment crashes occur during harvest. She encouraged motorists to give equipment plenty of room and avoid passing without a clear view of the road.
Davidson also stressed checking farm equipment before heading onto the road and making sure it is visible to other drivers.
