A recent release from the University of Minnesota Extension highlighted a number of safety tips farmers should keep in mind. For example, extra precautions need to be taken when it comes to farm equipment and younger helpers.
"Always think of how to safely operate the machines and equipment you are running before you start and be sure to tell youth important information as well," Nathan Winter, an educator with the organization, wrote recently.
Planting time may require that farmers take to the street with farm equipment as they go from field to field. People who are driving cars and trucks on country roads should pay special attention to the farm equipment they encounter.
Along with slowing down when encountering farm equipment, safety experts note that drivers should avoid passing. Farmers themselves can take extra precautions by having a slow-moving vehicle sign on their agricultural equipment.
Producers should also do a survey of their fields to make sure it is safe to navigate them before planting.
