Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson Recognizes National Farm Safety and Health Week

JACKSON, Miss. – Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson recognizes the week of September 20-26 as National Farm Safety and Health Week. National Farm Safety and Health Week was established to recognize the importance of health and safety of American farmers, ranchers and foresters. The theme for the 2020 National Farm Safety and Health Week is “Every Farmer Counts.” “As Mississippi’s number one industry, agriculture plays a significant role in our communities. National Farm Safety and Health Week is a great promotion that raises awareness of the risks and potential dangers that farmers, ranchers and foresters face daily as they work hard to provide the essentials that sustain our citizens across the state and the world,” said Commissioner Gipson. “We want to take this opportunity to encourage safe farm practices and prioritize the safety and health of our agriculture workers.” Farmers, ranchers and foresters incorporate physically and mentally demanding and potentially dangerous tasks into their jobs daily. These tasks often involve long hours and are performed in high-risk settings. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, agriculture is the most dangerous of any industry sector in America and reported 574 fatalities in 2018, which equals 2.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety is providing informative webinars each day of the week. Each day of National Farm Safety and Health Week has a theme as follows:

• Monday, September 21, 2020 – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
• Tuesday, September 22, 2020 – Overall Farmer Health
• Wednesday, September 2, 2020 – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
• Thursday, September 24, 2020 – Emergency Preparedness in Agriculture
• Friday, September 25, 2020 – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture

For additional information and resources regarding National Farm Safety and Health Week, visit the website www.necasag.org.