Skip to Main Content

“Every Farmer Counts”: National Farm Safety & Health Week 2020

The 2018 data for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous in America with 574 fatalities, or an equivalent of 23.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry. For this reason, the third week of September (September 20-26, 2020) has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week.

This annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council has been proclaimed as such by each sitting U.S. President since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.

The theme for National Farm Safety and Health Week 2020 is “Every Farmer Counts”. This theme is one that reminds us that it is in everyone’s best interest to prioritize the health and safety of those who work so hard to provide our abundant supply of food, fiber and fuel.

Along with the theme for the week, the daily topics of focus are:
Monday – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
Tuesday – Overall Farmer Health
Wednesday – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
Thursday – Emergency Preparedness in Agriculture
Friday – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture

Webinars

During Farm Safety & Health Week, the AgriSafe Learning Network will be airing free webinars that address the daily focus topic. View the webinar flyer. For webinar details and to register, visit the AgriSafe Network NFSHW webpage. A free AgriSafe account is required to access the webinars. Google Chrome is the recommended browser.

Monday, September 21

Planting the Seeds of Tractor and Machinery Safety (Noon CDT)
Presenter – Aaron Yoder, PhD

Tuesday, September 22

Lessons Learned in Covid-19 Prevention Efforts among Agriculture Workers and Employers (Noon CDT)
Presenters – Jennifer M. Lincoln, PhD, CSP, CAPT (retired) and Douglas Trout, MD, MHS

Mental Health Innovations in Ag Communities (2:00 p.m. CDT)
Presenters – Joan M. Mazur, PhD, Dr. Jewel H. Bronaugh and Tara Haskins, DNP, RN

Wednesday, September 23

Building a Toolkit for Child Ag Safety and Health (Noon CDT)
Presenter – Marsha Salzwedel, EdD

Teach Your Way: Open Source Ag Health and Safety Curriculum (2:00 p.m. CDT)
Presenter – Knesha Rose-Davison, MPH

Thursday, September 24

Emergency Planning for Farm Operations (Noon CDT)
Presenter – Shay Foulk

Respiratory Protection Issues in Agriculture: What to wear and does it fit? (2:00 p.m. CDT)
Presenter – Charlotte Halverson, RN, BSN    

Friday, September 25

Safety in the Field: Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment for Farm Workers (10:00 a.m. CDT)
Presenter – Knesha Rose-Davison, MPH

Discovering the Root of your Back Story: Prevention and Understanding of Back Injuries (Noon CDT)
Presenters – Dan Neenan, MBA and Linda Emanuel, RN

National Farm Safety Week logo
To Top