SEPTEMBER 2020
The tenth annual National Teach Ag Day is on Thursday, September 17, 2020. National Teach Ag Day is designed to encourage others to teach school based agriculture and recognize the important role that agriculture teachers play in our schools and communities.
UMASH and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAH) are committed to working with agricultural teachers on the importance of teaching safety and health on the farm. Every day about 33 children are injured in agriculture-related incidents and a child dies in an agriculture-related accident every three days in the US, according to the Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (CAIS).
“Often, these youth are doing jobs that are not matched to their mental abilities,”
In an effort to assist teachers with incorporating safety and health educational resources, UMASH encourages educators to Think – Teach – Do Ag Safety and has compiled a list of topics, activities and resources to use in the physical or virtual classroom.
The NCCRAH has a designated website, Cultivate Safety, to provide easy access to agricultural safety information and resources for farmers, ranchers, supervisors, media and teachers. The Ag Youth Work Guidelines is a particularly useful tool for determining if a youth is ready to perform a job and learn more about hazards and keeping working youth safe.
Another resource available to teachers is our recent UMASH Online Expo: A 2020 Look at Ag Health, Safety and Wellness which featured a number of exhibits, speakers and demonstrations. The UMASH Expo is available on our website and features up to date information on a number of topics including grain bins, respiratory safety, zoonotic disease risk, ATV’s and more. These videos can be used on their own or with other resources/curricula to meet the needs of teachers and students. During this time of COVID-19 and limited interaction, these videos can fill in for an invited speaker or guest.
The risks are real.
Spread the word by sharing a safety post on social media, give a shout out to another ag teacher, or start the day with a safety video. Let’s work together on National Teach Ag Day and every day to teach ag health and safety for the young people working and living on the farm.