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by Lynn Snyder

Ohio Farm Bureau has a long history of safety activities and promotion. Each year, safety programs are coordinated to keep farmers and their families safe.

New this spring is a sticker/magnet set to affix to farm equipment. The blue sticker's words: "Think of us….We're thinking of you." The center of the sticker or magnet can be removed and it becomes a picture frame.

According to OFBF Director of Safety and Field Staff Development Programs Melissa Jacobs, the stickers and magnets were created with the hope that while farmers are operating their equipment, they would take extra caution as they see their family pictured inside the frame.

The National Safety Council says that more than 700 farmers and ranchers die in agriculture-related accidents each year, and agriculture is consistently ranked among the top three most dangerous industries, alongside mining/quarrying and construction.

"We want to encourage our members to be safety-minded," Jacobs said. "These new stickers and magnets are a clever way to inspire farmers to keep safety in mind while they're working."

In addition, OFBF is offering some other safety items. Already in county Farm Bureau offices are the 2002 Safety Calendar, focusing on farm safety for children. Each month focuses on a different farm safety topic, such as farm work with an all-terrain vehicle, driving a tractor, leading and grooming animals and using a front-end loader. The information includes illustrations of the topic and a guide to farm-safe activities a child is capable of at a certain age. 5,000 calendars have been distributed so far.

Also occurring are Farm Safety Day Camps for children. In cooperation with Ohio State University, Ohio 4-H Foundation and Nationwide Insurance, seven camps have been planned through this fall. According to the Agricultural Safety and Health Web site for OSU Extension, the camps teach youth about rural dangers; however the campers do not have to be farm children to benefit from the educational sessions. Injuries from horses, livestock, ponds, lawn mowers and electricity can occur to anyone, not just farm kids.

Campers learn in a fun, interactive way the consequences of poor judgment around power machinery, flowing grain and livestock. Hands-on demonstrations enforce safety messages to youth that they will never be able to overpower a machine, hold on during a tractor roll-over or escape from flowing grain. Through the years, more than 6,400 youth have enrolled in the safety camp program.

Camps remaining this year occur in Morrow, Wood, Monroe and Belmont counties. Contact Jacobs at 614-249-2452 for more information.

Also on tap, an effort to increase awareness among members about deer/vehicle collisions. A display is being planned for this year's Ohio State Fair, in the Land and Living Exhibit area. Watch future Farm Bureau publications for more information.

"We make all of these programs and materials available to members because we care about their safety. There is nothing more important than looking out for yourself and your children on the farm," Jacobs said.

Contact your county Farm Bureau office for information on the new stickers and magnets and calendars.

Caption: New magnets can be affixed to farm equipment, and used as a picture frame. OFBF hopes members will use them as a reminder to be careful as they work.