2024 Progressive Agriculture Safety Day

On Thursday, September 26^th, over 350 Clinton County 6^th grade students participated in a Progressive Ag Safety Day sponsored by the Clinton County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Program.  Ag Literacy Coordinator Susan Kleiboeker served as the program coordinator for the event, with the assistance of many other county groups and volunteers.

This was the 13^th Annual Progressive Ag Safety Day in Clinton County.  This year students from Albers, All Saints Academy, Aviston, Bartelso, Breese District 12, Carlyle, Damiansville, Germantown, Wesclin and Willow Grove rotated through 10 of 13 different safety-themed stations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  New this year, a mock accident demonstration, was held with help from volunteer firefighters from Beckemeyer, Carlyle, Hoyleton, and Huey/Ferrin/Boulder, plus MedStar Ambulance and AirEvac out of Mt Vernon.

Stations included:  Hunter Safety, Electric Safety, ATV Awareness, Chemical Lookalikes, Grain Safety, Fit to be a Farmer, Animal Safety, Water Safety, Plant Safety, Life’s Misfortunes, 811 Julie, Confinement Safety (Manure Pit), and PTO Safety.

The goal of the program is for each of the 6^th graders to go home and talk to their families about how to stay safe and when a situation arises to hopefully make good choices.  Although safety around the farm was stressed, many stations focused on general safety items that can apply to everyone whether involved in farming or not.

Students attending the event received free Farm Safety t-shirts provided by the Progressive Ag Safety Foundation as part of a nationwide program teaching kids about farm safety.

This program is only possible with the large number of local volunteers giving their time to educate students about safety.  FFA Chapters from Breese Central, Carlyle, and Christ Our Rock also assisted with the program.  Over 75 students and others volunteered to make this day possible.  A special thanks to all those local volunteers!