(Photo By Flick User Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
It has been a tough year for many farmers across the Tri-States and the Land Of Lincoln.
Tariffs, spring flooding, and a summer drought is making for a stressful harvest season.
From September 15th through September 21st, it is National Farm Safety and Health Week and experts are speaking on the struggles of the profession.
The wet conditions this year made it hard for farmers to get their crops planted this year, but along with weather the manual labor and economic aspect of the job can be stressful.
Adams County Farm Bureau President Shawn Valter said it is important to discuss mental health among each other and get help if needed especially when it comes to talking about suicide.
Valter said.
“We just want people to know there is help out there, if they are going through tough times, they can reach out to the hotline number. We always promote that in our farm bureau paper, so there are resources here in our community.”
Another focus during this week is tractor and rural roadway safety.
Farmer Bobby Baker said it can be an added danger sharing the roads with cars.
Baker said,
“As farmers we don’t want to be on the roadway any more than the general public wants us to be on the roadway. If we are on the road it just means we are not getting work done, we are getting to a different field, people flying past us, that’s not gonna do anything but get somebody hurt.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255 or online at suicidepreventionhotline.org.
To read more on National Farm Safety and Safety Week, click on to https://web.nicc.edu/marketing/necas for more info.
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*Monday, September 16, 2019 – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
*Tuesday, September 17, 2019 – Farmer Health & Opioid/Suicide Prevention
*Wednesday, September 18, 2019 – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
*Thursday, September 19, 2019 – Confined Spaces in Agriculture
*Friday, September 20, 2019 – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture
(Information Courtesy Of WGEM-TV)
