NEWARK, Del. - With the end
of school and start of the growing
season, area farmers are hiring
seasonal help. Many of these young
workers have limited experience
or skills, yet many may use or be
exposed to potentially dangerous
equipment or chemicals.
By teaching them about farm
hazards and how to do their jobs
properly, employers can greatly
reduce farm-related accidents this
summer, says University of
Delaware extension farm safety
specialist Ron Jester.
“Looking back over my own
boyhood on a farm, operating
machines, logging, maintaining
buildings, raising broilers, running
irrigation systems and much
more,” Jester says, “I realize how
little safety training we got. And
most of that was pretty super
ficial.”
He says the situation is much the
same today on many farms
especially family-operated farms.
“One tends to assume an em
ployee’s or family member’s
previous knowledge and skill. But
the risks are too great to take these
things for granted,” the specialist
says. Instead, he urges farmers to
make sure all workers do their jobs
properly and safely especially
when new equipment or a new
process is involved.
“Some people question the
relevance of safety training for
“MY COWS LOVE IT
AND SO DO WE”
SAY JESSE & MARTHA LAIR of
2400 Newark Road, Oxford, Pa.
Hannah, Martha, Jesse, Kathryn & David Lair
Jesse also has this to say about his W & J Dairy
Sales Computerized Feeding System. “Since
installing our new feeding system I have more
cows milking 90 to 100 lbs. They are also holding
better”
Martha adds, “I enjoy milking now that the
cows are not fed in the parlor. I don’t have to
worry about how much feed each cow is sup
posed to have.
Of Course Both Jesse & Martha Are Pleased
That Their Cows Are Averaging 3.5 lbs. More
Milk Since The W & J Dairy Service Feeding
System Was Installed.
I Vhy Don't You Coll WSJ Dairy Service?
You'll Love Whot They Con Oo
For Your Doiiy Operoiion.
Teach summer farm workers safe habits
family-operated farms,” Jester
says. “But such training has value
regardless of how many people you
employ. Accident prevention is an
individual concern. Actually, it’s
even more important in small
operations like family farms
because a disabling injury affects
a larger percentage of the work
force.”
Child labor laws require training
14- and 15-year-olds who are em
ployed in a number of hazardous
farm jobs. This law doesn’t include
youth working for their parents or
guardians, or those over 16. But the
need to train them, too, is obvious,
the specialist says. A recent study
by the National Safety Council
shows that workers under 24 years
of age suffer a disproportionate
number of severe and fatal ac
cidents for their representation in
the work force and exposure to
hazards.
“All the evidence points to the
need for safety training of em
ployees especially the younger
ones,” Jester says.
Training won’t eliminate all
accidents. And it can’t take the
place of good safety practices. It’s
not a substitute for guards on
equipment, efficient ventilation
systems, roll-over protection on
tractors, well maintained tools or
personal protective equipment.
Eliminating or minimizing
hazards is as important as training
workers to do their jobs safely.
Monitoring employees’ work
habits is also important, the
specialist says. “Periodically
check to make sure your training is
effective that workers are
performing tasks and operating
equipment correctly. Without
monitoring and enforcement,
safety training lacks meaning and
employees have less incentive to
put that training to use.”
Agriculture has a poor accident
record compared to other in-
Conservation awards program announced
HARRISBURG - State
Agriculture Secretary Penrose
Hallowell Monday said that
Pennsylvania farmers who
demonstrate practical ways to
conserve soil and water in their
farm operations are eligible to
take part in a national soil and
water conservation awards
program.
This year’s second annual
awards program is sponsored by
the National Endowment for Soil
and Water Conservaton and the
DuPont Company. Three national
winners each receive $l,OOO
awards.
Hallowell urged Pennsylvania
conservation farmers to take part
in the program, which is designed
to recognize individual farmers
Nursery receipts increase
u a ddtcdttdp r. • ♦ ~ „„ .The 1983 market value of land,
HARRISBURG-Gross receipts percent self-grown; 32 percent structures and equipment used in
of the Commonwealth’s 3,930 purchased from other Penn- p ennS yi V ania’s nursery and
certified nurseries and dealers sylvania establishments; and 33 landscaping industry totaled $4BlB
totaled $315.2 million in 1983, up percent purchased from out-of- million A total of 21,566 acres were
three percent from 1981 figures, state concerns. utihzed m nursery operations
according to the Pennsylvania Last year, the nursery and d „ the by
Crop Reporting Service. landscaping industry provided operators of nursery product
T he ™ s !^ tis !. ics show r ! tail ern P'°y™ ent f ° r 3 workers enterprises for all agricultural
sales of $233.4 million, accounting with 42 percent of the total em- opera tions, including nurseries,
for approximately 74 percent of the ployed in a fulltime basis. In ad- totaled 136 245 acres
total receipts. Sales by certified dition, 3,319 unpaid family Greenh o’use area totaled 16.9
nurseries were responsible for 48 members also worked in the in- mdlion arp {eet> w jui e C old
percent of the total receipts, while dustry. Salaries and wages paid f rames covered 2.9 million square
52 percent of the receipts were for totaled $91.8 million, and ex- j eet shaded areas covered 2.6
certified dealers in nursery penditures for services such as million square feet and sales arid
products. The breakdown by fertilizing, spraying, etc. totaled $7 stor age areas covered 7.5 million
product-source sales were: 35 million. square feet
Penn Jersey, Exclusive Dealer For The
JUNIATA
PERRY
CUMBER
LAND
ADAMS
YORK
dustries. In them, safety training
is required by OSHA, though many
companies would provide it
anyway because they know it pays
off. Some even offer off-the-job
training because they realize that
lost time for whatever reason
is costly. Considering this cost,
safety education pays big
dividends, Jester says. It also
shows workers that management
has a genuine concern for their
well-being, and this benefits
morale.
who employ sound, innovative and
cost-effective soil and water
conservation techniques. “Penn
sylvania farmers deserve
recognition and encouragement
for their efforts as stewards of our
precious natural resources,” the
Secretary said. “Through this
program, their initiatives can be
brought to the attention of the
agricultural community and the
general public.”
A coordinating committee of
farm, conservation and govern
ment leaders selects a con
servation farmer/rancher from
each state. The state coordinator is
Vernal C. Miles, Land Im
provement Contractors
Association of America, 336 West
16th Street, New Cumberland, PA
17070. Hallowell said farmers
wishing more information on the
program should contact Miles at
the above address.
The Endowment Technical
In Addition To Our Present Sales Area,
We Are Covering The Following Counties:
I Penn Jersey Products inc. !
! P.0.80x? New Holland, PA 17557 .
Name
Address
City _
Telephone
CompuTrac
Computer Feeding
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For more information on computer feeders
in this new area, mail coupon to;
“Safety isn’t a liability that
slows you down,” he concludes.
“It’s an asset that speeds progress,
no matter what you’re doing. Whyu
not follow industry’s example and
put safety training to work on your
farm?”
For information on safety
training programs provided by the
Delaware Cooperative Extension
Service, contact extension safety
specialist Ron Jester at the
University of Delaware
Georgetown Substation (856-5250).
Advisory Committee reviews the
conservation work of the 50 state
nominees and selects ten national
finalists on the basis of their ac
complishments in soil and water
resource management and
pollution abatement. The national
finalists and their spouses receive
an expense-paid trip to Washington
to attend a national awards
ceremony in the fall.
Winners in the 1983 awards
program were from Kentucky,
Oregon and Wisconsin. Other
finalists were from Indiana,
Kansas, Maryland, Michigan,
Montana, North Carolina and
Utah.
The National Endowment for
Soil and Water Conservation,
established in June 1982, is a non
profit, privately funded non
political organization dedicated to
conserving natural resources and
fostering a sense of stewardship
for the land.
Itate