It’s time for a meal in the field with the Farm Credit Services of Illinois.
The 2012 National Farm Safety and Health Week will be celebrated September 16-22 with the theme “Agricultural Safety & Health: A Family Affair”. Even as the average size of farms continues to increase, 94% of all Illinois farms are family-owned. Most farm workers in Illinois are members of the respective farm family and often all members of the family contribute to the farm work and chores.
Although farming continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations, Illinois recorded nearly a 50% reduction of farm-related deaths last year compared to the previous year. The twenty farm fatalities occurring between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 were the fewest in the State of Illinois in more than thirty years. This year’s National Farm Safety and Health Week marks the 69th consecutive signing of a farm safety proclamation by a U.S. President; the first was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1944.
As a part of the upcoming Farm Safety Week, more than one-hundred Illinois farm families will be served complimentary “Meals in the Field” by Farm Credit Services of Illinois. More than hot lunches will be delivered to farmers during their busy harvest season; Farm Credit will also deliver a farm safety message to the host family with special emphasis on safety reminders for farm children.
Farm Credit established the “Meals in the Field” program in 2000 to promote farm safety during the harvest season. All Farm Credit regional offices select at least one farm family to receive lunch on each weekday of Farm Safety Week. The Farm Credit staff serves the food wherever the farmers are working.
Each “Meals in the Field” family will also be provided a Farm First Aid Kit produced by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety compliments of Farm Credit. The durable and weather-resistant kit is specifically designed for farm injuries and is equipped with items such as an isothermal blanket, ice packs, a finger splint, and eye wash containers.