When it comes to concerns for farm safety, tractor rollovers or incidents with animals often come to mind, but safety can go beyond the physical measure. 


Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is a chance to provide hands-on experience for children. The safety days are held all year across the nation, and those held in 2020 will have a fresh perspective, according to Janet Davidson, education content specialist. 


Davidson said for the past 25 years, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day developed about 30 different topics around areas such as ATV safety, lawn mower safety, and tractor safety. In the new year, they want to talk about farm health and rural health with an emphasis on mental health and stress among children. 


“We know that our children are feeling stressed as well with mom and dad and grandparents,” Davidson said. “Sometimes mom and dad might be struggling, and nobody is really talking to the children.”


She said it is important to open up that communication and children and have them around the table for important discussions. 


“I think a lot of time we think let’s not talk to the kids or let’s not tell them what’s going on,” Davidson said. We are wanting our children to take over our farms and keep the legacy alive, so I think it is important even at a young age to keep them in that conversation.”


The one-day events are designed to be hands-on, age-appropriate, interactive and fun. Davidson hoped the program can provide coping strategies and find ways to talk with kids about their emotions, what stress is and how to deal with stress. 


“Then we are going to send resources home for mom and dad to keep that conversation going long after that safety day as over,” Davidson said. “Maybe we can’t change everybody’s behavior, but if we can start an intervention with these youth younger, they are going to change it, and they are going to spread that home to mom and dad and their other siblings as well. It is going to be very approachable and fun for children.”


Progressive Agriculture Safety Day starts with children as young as 4-years-old and has programming for those up to age 13. Davidson added they do work frequently with high schoolers who may be 4-H or FFA members. 


“Sometimes they are the ones doing the teaching and presenting, and they are learning right along with the children,” Davidson said. “We give them the curriculum and the resources to make it easy, but they are the ones teaching. When they are repeating that over and over again, they are learning about that safety and health right along with them, so it is a win-win for everyone.”


Davidson added that peer-to-peer interaction creates a better response rate among children who look up to older students. 


Looking ahead, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is constantly looking for emerging issues to tackle. A popular concern in addition to mental well-being and stress is vaping. 


“Nobody is really talking about that and how it is affecting our young people in rural communities,” Davidson said. “In our rural communities, we can have high schoolers along with elementary school kids on the bus, and they are seeing what is going on, so they are being introduced to that early.”


More than 400 safety days are held each year. If there is not one held in a particular area, individuals or community groups could volunteer to host one by completing an application online. There are also opportunities to sponsor a child’s attendance for $13 by donating online or texting ‘safetyday’ to 44321. 

When it comes to concerns for farm safety, tractor rollovers or incidents with animals often come to mind, but safety can go beyond the physical measure.&nbsp;
 Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is a chance to provide hands-on experience for children. The safety days are held all year across the nation, and those held in 2020 will have a fresh perspective, according to Janet Davidson, education content specialist.&nbsp;
 Davidson said for the past 25 years, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day developed about 30 different topics around areas such as ATV safety, lawn mower safety, and tractor safety. In the new year, they want to talk about farm health and rural health with an emphasis on mental health and stress among children.&nbsp;
 &ldquo;We know that our children are feeling stressed as well with mom and dad and grandparents,&rdquo; Davidson said. &ldquo;Sometimes mom and dad might be struggling, and nobody is really talking to the children.&rdquo;
 She said it is important to open up that communication and children and have them around the table for important discussions.&nbsp;
 &ldquo;I think a lot of time we think let&rsquo;s not talk to the kids or let&rsquo;s not tell them what&rsquo;s going on,&rdquo; Davidson said. We are wanting our children to take over our farms and keep the legacy alive, so I think it is important even at a young age to keep them in that conversation.&rdquo;
 The one-day events are designed to be hands-on, age-appropriate, interactive and fun. Davidson hoped the program can provide coping strategies and find ways to talk with kids about their emotions, what stress is and how to deal with stress.&nbsp;
 &ldquo;Then we are going to send resources home for mom and dad to keep that conversation going long after that safety day as over,&rdquo; Davidson said. &ldquo;Maybe we can&rsquo;t change everybody&rsquo;s behavior, but if we can start an intervention with these youth younger, they are going to change it, and they are going to spread that home to mom and dad and their other siblings as well. It is going to be very approachable and fun for children.&rdquo;
 Progressive Agriculture Safety Day starts with children as young as 4-years-old and has programming for those up to age 13. Davidson added they do work frequently with high schoolers who may be 4-H or FFA members.&nbsp;
 &ldquo;Sometimes they are the ones doing the teaching and presenting, and they are learning right along with the children,&rdquo; Davidson said. &ldquo;We give them the curriculum and the resources to make it easy, but they are the ones teaching. When they are repeating that over and over again, they are learning about that safety and health right along with them, so it is a win-win for everyone.&rdquo;
 Davidson added that peer-to-peer interaction creates a better response rate among children who look up to older students.&nbsp;
 Looking ahead, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is constantly looking for emerging issues to tackle. A popular concern in addition to mental well-being and stress is vaping.&nbsp;
 &ldquo;Nobody is really talking about that and how it is affecting our young people in rural communities,&rdquo; Davidson said. &ldquo;In our rural communities, we can have high schoolers along with elementary school kids on the bus, and they are seeing what is going on, so they are being introduced to that early.&rdquo;
 More than 400 <a href="https://www.progressiveag.org/">safety days</a> are held each year. If there is not one held in a particular area, individuals or community groups could volunteer to host one by completing an <a href="https://www.progressiveag.org/GetInvolved.cgi">application online</a>. There are also opportunities to sponsor a child&rsquo;s attendance for $13 by <a href="https://www.progressiveag.org/Donate/">donating online</a> or texting &lsquo;safetyday&rsquo; to 44321.&nbsp;

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

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