Let’s keep our farm kids safe

This is a repost from another site, but it is well worth the read. Keep 'em safe...
-Mike

Anyone who grew up on a farm will tell you that the rural life can have pleasures aplenty. The wonders of nature are close at hand. The clean air and exhausting but exhilarating work in the great outdoors become treasured memories as farm kids grow older - especially so, perhaps, when they depart rural life for a more urban setting.

Farms can also be dangerous places for young folks if safety isn't given a high priority.

According to the National Safety Council, just over a million kids and older youths "live, work and play on our nation's farms and ranches.'" The NSC notes that a half million more are involved in migrant farming.

Sadly, each year thousands of young folks are injured and too many die as a result of dangers present in their idyllic but risky surroundings.

Keeping the young ones safe should be a top concern for farm families.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued what it characterizes as the "Top 10 Farm Safety Tips for Kids." Most of them are common sense, but with summer at hand and activity picking up on Iowa's farms, this is a good time to resolve to heed these important safety admonitions from the PDA:

* No seat, no rider. Do not allow children to be extra riders on farm equipment, even if they are helping with chores.

* Keep small children from playing on, in or under machinery or equipment. Provide an alternate safe-play area.

* Know where children are before starting machinery and farm vehicles.

* Train and closely supervise youths who will be operating farm machinery and equipment.

* Keep ladders out of reach of children.

* Keep small children away from large animals, particularly animals that have recently given birth.

* Do not let children under age 12 operate an all-terrain vehicle.

* Keep children from playing on, or in, silos and grain bins or wagons.

* Do not leave children unsupervised around farm ponds or manure pits.

* Hold monthly farm safety review sessions.

Summer can be a wonderful time for forging lasting childhood memories in rural America. The vast majority of tragedies that befall young people on farms can be avoided with a little caution and care.

Keep the kids safe as we all enjoy the glories of summer in farm country.

Forest Management Offsets - Key To Climate Change Bil

US Secretrary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's acceptance and promotion of the ACES carbon trading plan for farmers was presented this week. The underlying key to this being a help to American farmers is a plan called "forest management offsets". In fact, over 3/4 of the "offsets" that are being calculated to offset the higher costs of farming (long-term net income decreases of 7.2%) is attributed to "forest management offsets".

So, what is "forest management offsets"? In simple terms it is growing trees where farms once existed and getting paid for it. Sounds good -- if you don't pay for your feed. Because in Vilsack's plan over 40 million acres and pastures of prime farm production land would be taken away to grow trees to get carbon credits. This would artificially drive up corn and feed crop prices.

But seriously, the reality is that these "forest management offsets" will simply not materialize. And farmers will not recover the 7.2% long term net income decrease.
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Thanks, But I'd Rather Keep My 7.2 Percent

Thankfully the USDA has got my back on this new Climate Bill legislation. The word today from their analysts is that long term, my income will only go down by a "minimal" 7.2%. Whew! Man, I was worried it might be something like 10%. I can sleep a lot easier now knowing that my losses are so minimal.

Oh, wait - 7.2% of my income is close to 10%. And, since that's long term, with inflation rising at approximately 3-6% per year, it will probably feel a little bit more like 10-15% in real dollars. Now, I'm not real good at math, but what in the heck is "minimal" about my income going down 10%?
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Food Safety Laws Must Consider Farm Impact

Americans deserve good, wholesome food and they deserve to know that the food they eat is safe. That's why I believe in food safety. But I also believe that before our elected leaders pass laws increasing the amount of record keeping required to farm, we need to consider the impact the laws will have on farmers. I mean, let's make sure we have food to be safe with. Driving farmers out of business with more and more regulations will only make prices go up and up. Who wants to pay $20 for a pound of hamburger or $10 for a loaf of bread?
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