A36-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 15, 2003 PDA Launches Farm Safety Initiative At FFA Breakfast HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Agriculture Secretary Designee Dennis C Wolff an nounced the creation of a new Farm Safety Education program at the Pennsylvania FFA Annual Legislative Breakfast. Tuesday. “Pennsylvania is dedicated to continuing its mission to promote safety around farms,” said Secre tary Wolff. “One farm accident is one accident too many. We need to always ‘begin safe, end safe,’ around the farm and farm equip ment. The Department of Agri culture is pleased to be part nering with the Pennsylvania FFA in launching its new Farm Safety Demonstration Program.” Through this new initiative, FFA Chapters across the Com monwealth are encouraged to de velop interactive demonstrations to be used at county fairs, malls, schools, and other venues to edu cate the public about the value of farm safety. Interested FFA Chapters can receive up to $l,OOO for the devel opment and construction of each demonstration project, made pos sible by the Curriculum and In structional Development Grant Program. Project proposals will be due in the Fall of 2003 and be awarded in the beginning of 2004 for the 2004 county and community fair season. In recognition of FFA Chapter accomplishments in Farm Safety for 2002-03, Secretary Wolff awarded certificates of commen dation to the chapter winners in the 2002 Fair Farm Safety Dem onstration Contest, the 2003 Farm Show Safety Contest, and the 2003 Farm Safety Quiz Bowl- FFA Division. The winners were: 2002 Fair Farm Safety Demon strations: Manheim FFA, Man heim Central High School, Lan caster County; Tyrone Area FFA, Tyrone Area School District, Blair County; West Snyder FFA, Mid-West School District, Snyder County; Central Columbia FFA, Central Columbia School Dis trict, Columbia County; Spud Growers FFA, Coudersport High School, Potter County; Headwa ters FFA, Northern Potter High School, Potter County; Upper Dauphin FFA, Upper Dauphin School District, Dauphin County; and Little Lions FFA, State Col lege School District, Centre County. 2003 Farm Show Farm Safety Demonstrations: 1. Blackhawk High School, Beaver County, Demonstration “Log Splitters for Dummies”; and 2. Mifflinburg High School, Union County, Demonstration “Lawn Mower Safety.” FFA State Legislative Leadership Conference Features Innovative Program HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) This year’s FFA State Legislative Leadership Confer- ence (SLLC) featured a unique program where students con ducted simulated legislative ses sions of the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives. More than 320 representatives from FFA chapters throughout *VI Ifr Members of the Eastern York FFA Chapter met with to thank this year’s SLLC spon sor Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania. Representing Columbia Gas in center back George Stark and Rob Bouiware Also pictured on far right is Rep. Keith Gillespie from the 47th district. 2002-03 Farm Safety Quiz Bowl FFA Division: I. Mifflin burg FFA, Mifflinburg High School, Union County; 2. West Snyder FFA, Mid-West School District, Snyder County; 3. Se linsgrove FFA, Selinsgrove Area High School, Snyder County; and 4. Manheim FFA, Manheim Cen tral School District, Lancaster County. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), through its Bureau of Plant Industry, contin ues to promote farm safety and work to reduce the number of farm related accidents and deaths in Pennsylvania. It is the only state agency in the nation to have a full-time farm safety spe cialist on staff. State Officer Team and FFA team leaders organized and facilitated this years legislative conference. This year’s team leaders were, from left, front row, Isaac Bucher, Amy Kaucher, Ryan Healy, Hannah Etzler, An drew Herr, Eric Chamberlin, middle row, Emily Grove; Courtney Miller; Mark Fulton; Mary Strausbaugh; Julie Flinchbaugh, back row, Dave Bittner; Andy Alwine; Tim Lesher; Tony Seymore; Jon Lauver. the state attended the 16th annu al conference at the Holiday Inn in Grantville, March 9-11. This year the state FFA offi cers and second-year scholars were responsible for putting to gether a new version of SLLC, complete with a House of Repre sentatives and a Senate. Approximately 220 members FFft-75 One Mission: Student Success While encouraging promotion of farm safety, the PDA oversees several Farm Safety and Occupa tional Health programs. The Small Grant Program provides funding to organizations to host and present Farm Safety Pro grams. Most recently, two FFA Chapters, six County Extension programs, four county Farm Bu reaus, and ten fire, ambulance, rescue, and health organizations received up to $2,500 each for farm safety promotion. The new Curriculum and In structional Development Pro gram is raising the bar of aware ness on farm safety and rescue for safety and rescue personnel. The department is committed to the development of farm safety were assigned to the “House of Representatives” and approxi mately 65 members were selected for the “Senate.” The House and Senate mem bers then proceeded to discuss and amend a total of six bills that have actually been presented in the Pennsylvania Legislature with some pertaining to agricul tural issues. Beforehand, copies of the bills were provided for the students to familiarize themselves with the legislation. These included House Bills 954, 606, and 2350 and Senate Bills 1325, 816, and 1413. Their subjects dealt with agricultural trespassing; depositing waste on programs across Pennsylvania and has supported The Pennsyl vania State University’s Pennsyl vania Ag Rescue Program. The Tuition Assistance Pro gram encourages paramedics, medical personnel, and members of the agriculture community to attend training programs by de fraying some of the training costs. The PDA hosts Farm Safety Programs at Ag Progress Days, Farm City Day, and the PA Farm Show. Secretary Wolff also noted that the PDA is the first agriculture department in the nation to par ticipate in the Farm Safety 4 Just 2002-03 State Officer Team at State Leadership Con ference, front row, from left, Emily Grove; Courtney Mill er; Mark Fulton; Mary Strausbaugh; Julie Flinchbaugh. Back row, from left, Dave Bittner; Andy Alwine; Tim Les her; Tony Seymore; Jon Lauver. highways, property, or waters; amending the Public Eating and Drinking Place Law; animal ex hibition sanitation; assaults with a biological agent on animal, fowl, or honey bees; and protect ing agricultural operations from nuisance suits and ordinances under certain circumstances. Students were able to see first hand what it takes to actually get a bill through the legislative pro cess. Parliamentary Procedure was taught and used extensively by the all the participants. In addition to their own “legis lative sessions,” the FFA students met with their state senators and representatives in Harrisburg and wenf on tours' of the Hershey Agriculture Secretary Designee Dennis C. Wolff addressed the conference at the Pennsylvania FFA Legislative Breakfast on Tuesday Morning. Kids Program. Teaching farm safety to children is a commit ment by the Department as a member of this program. Teaching children the dangers of not following the rules when using farm tractors or equipment helps to ensure that Pennsylva nia’s children will be able to safe ly reap the joys of helping their family around the farm. PDA is committed to assisting Pennsyl vania’s 59,000 farm families to think “Safety First.” For more in formation about the depart ment’s Farm Safety Programs, contact the PDA’s Bureau of Plant Industry at (717) 772-5206. Chocolate plant and the Milton Hershey School. The conference concluded with a Legislative Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, next to the Capitol in downtown Harrisburg Tuesday morning. More than 60 state senators and representatives attended the closing event. Secretary of Agri culture Designee Dennis C. Wolff, along with representatives from the sponsoring company, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, gave remarks. Secretary of Edu cation Designee Vicki Phillips also offered greetings from the Department of Education, which oversees'the FFA programs.
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