Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, Andy Gipson, joins President Donald Trump in recognizing the week of September 15-21 as National Farm Safety and Health Week. National Farm Safety and Health Week was established to recognize the importance of health and safety of American farmers, ranchers, and foresters. The theme for the 2019 National Farm Safety and Health Week is “Shift Farm Safety into High Gear.”
“During National Farm Safety and Health Week, we want to take the opportunity to encourage safe farm practices, and raise awareness of the inherent risks and the potential dangers that farmers, ranchers, and foresters face daily as they work hard to provide food, fiber, and fuel that sustains the lives of Mississippians and people all across the world,” said Commissioner Gipson.
Farmers, ranchers, and foresters incorporate physically and mentally demanding and potentially dangerous tasks into their jobs daily. These tasks often involve long hours and are performed in high-risk settings. According to the United States Department of Labor, agriculture has the highest fatality rate of any industry sector in America and reported 581 fatalities in 2017, which equals 23 deaths per 100,000 workers.
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety is providing informative webinars each day of the week. Each day of National Farm Safety & Health Week has a theme as follows:
- Monday, September 16, 2019 – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
- Tuesday, September 17, 2019 – Farmer Health & Opioid/Suicide Prevention
- Wednesday, September 18, 2019 – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
- Thursday, September 19, 2019 – Confined Spaces in Agriculture
- Friday, September 20, 2019 – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture
For additional information and resources regarding National Farm Safety and Health Week, visit the website www.necasag.org.
