Farm Safety for Children Critical

Farming is a family affair and many farmers will remember fondly when they’re parent or grandparent took them out to the fields or range.

Youth Ag Safety Specialist Marsha Salzwedel said injuries to kids on farms has been cut in half since 2001.

“The fatality rate, unfortunately, we haven’t seen that type of decline.”

According to data released by National Children's Center for rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, a children dies in an agricultural accident every three days.

One quarter of the deaths is due to machinery, 17 percent motor vehicle related and 16 percent by drowning, but Salzwedel said what’s even more alarming is that farm parents think these accidents happen to other people.

“But if you go back and you talk to the parents who have lost a child or who have a child who was seriously injured on a farm, they will tell you that was their attitude. They thought that only happened to other people until it happened to them.”

Find out some ways to keep your kids safe at CultivateSafety.org.