Hurricanes often make more headlines during the summer and fall, but the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety cautions homeowners to not underestimate the destructive and deadly force of thunderstorms.

April is National Safe Digging Month, and it’s the perfect time to emphasize how farmers can ensure the safety of family, farms and neighbors.

Agricultural safety is one of the best investments for farmers and ranchers.

One of the most important symbols on U.S. rural roads turns 53 years old this year. The red-and-orange triangular slow-moving vehicle emblem adorns the rear of thousands of pieces of farm equipment in Virginia; yet every year there are collisions between automobiles and tractors.

Farmers who are getting ready to cut and bale hay should make a habit of checking equipment before heading out to the field.

With temperatures soaring into the 90s or higher, heat-related illnesses become a serious occupational hazard for farmers and others who work outdoors.

Farm equipment is sometimes wider than rural roads, and it’s built for power, not speed. With planting season in full swing across Virginia, motorists should watch for triangular orange emblems on the back of farm equipment.

When the weather turns cold, some farmers and homeowners spend more time in unheated barns and workshops. To keep warm, many turn to wood-burning stoves or space heaters.

A new farm safety and health resource is available online from eXtension, a research- and education-based website supported by 74 land grant universities, including Virginia State University and Virginia Tech.

It’s part of the job: Raising food on a farm sometimes entails moving tractors and other equipment on the road.