Rutgers Cooperative Extension Ag and Natural Resources Dept Chair Nick Polanin has announced the good news that RCE has been able to hire Ms. Kate Brown as Program Associate II to work on commercial crop production in the RCE-Burlington County office. We welcome Kate to the job. In continuing some of the programs of retired County Agent Ray Samulis, Kate is now the Rutgers liaison to the NE Ag Safety and Health Coalition and has shared this news about next week’s celebration of National Farm Safety & Health Week (NFSHW). — Rick VanVranken
Every farmer counts! … is the theme of the 76th annual National Farm Safety & Health Week (NFSHW) to be recognized from September 20-26, 2020.
Working in the agricultural industry is among the most dangerous occupations in America. As we transition to the fall harvest period, a heightened sense of urgency may diminish your concern for personal health and the safety of those around you – be conscious of this and act now to reduce risks. Prioritizing safety will always be a worthy use of your time.
During NFSHW, an important topic related to farm safety and health will be highlighted each day:
- Monday, 9/21 – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
- Tuesday, 9/22 – Overall Farmer Health
- Wednesday, 9/23 – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
- Thursday, 9/24 – Emergency Preparedness in Agriculture
- Friday, 9/25 – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture
AgriSafe will offer free, daily webinars corresponding to these topics. You can register for these webinars at https://learning.agrisafe.org/nfshw2020. Note that the webinar times are posted for Central Daylight Time.
There are several Rutgers factsheets on farm safety, covering topics that range from fire prevention to preventing cold/heat related illnesses, available at https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/subcategory.php?cat=4&sub=29. Additional resources will be posted regularly on the “Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Burlington County – Ag/Nat Resources” Facebook page.
