Farm Safety

Extended amounts of sun exposure can increase the risk of developing skin cancer, especially for those who regularly work outdoors.

Spring planting and the harvest of wheat and other small grains in May and June means more Virginia farmers will need to be moving tractors and other heavy equipment on public roads.

When the weather turns cold, some farmers and homeowners spend time in unheated barns or workshops, and some rely on wood-burning stoves or space heaters to heat the buildings.

Fall is one of the busiest times for farmers to move harvesting equipment on public roads. This is a fact Virginia Farm Bureau Federation members, like Will Roberts of Pittsylvania County, would like to drive home to those unfamiliar with farm machinery.

A coalition of farm and ranch parents and agricultural organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, has released a set of guidelines to help parents and others in assigning appropriate tasks for youth who live or work on farms and ranches.

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.

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.