MACON, Ga. — Sharing resources that will help farmers and ranchers keep safety top-of-mind through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) is a priority of county and state Farm Bureau leaders across the nation.
As part of this year’s ASAP commemoration, this week (March 7-11) has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join Farm Bureau in promoting the week with its theme “Prepare. Prevent. Protect.”
A different safety focus is being highlighted each day of the week:
March 7 – Livestock
March 8 – Cost of Safety-Finances
March 9 – Disaster Preparedness
March 10 – Youth Safety
March 11 – Equipment Safety.
During this week and throughout the year, Farm Bureau encourages farmers to make safety a priority on the farm.
“This program is all about encouraging farmers to invest in safety and health in our ag communities so we can help save lives, prevent injuries and protect our animals,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said.
AFBF will share Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall’s experience with having a farm accident last year as part of its effort to highlight equipment safety on March 11. Visit https://gfb.ag/afbfmccallsafety to read the insight McCall shares.
Safe practices on America’s farms and ranches should be a priority, not an afterthought. Investing in safety and health in agricultural communities can help save lives and resources by preventing injuries and lost time on the job.
The Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a part of the Farm Bureau Health and Safety Network of professionals who share an interest in identifying and decreasing safety and health risks.
For more information and resources, visit the ASAP Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AgSafety). Visit the Centers’ YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/USagCenters) for new content and fresh ideas about how to stay safe while working in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
Join the movement to keep farms safe and share your own safety messages on social media using the hashtags #KeepFarmsSafe, #ASAP22 and #USAgCenters.
The 11 U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers (www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/agctrhom.html) are funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
–Georgia Farm Bureau
