By By JURGEN BOEREMA
news@wdnweb.com
Contributing Writer
The North Carolina Farm Bureau and Ag Carolina Financial sponsored Farm Safety Day at the Vernon James Research Center in Plymouth Wednesday. The same program was presented at the Cunningham Research Center in Kinston last week.
Mac Hodges, a Farm Bureau field representative for 11 counties in North Carolina, coordinated the event. He explained some of the Safety Day’s purpose and background at the Plymouth event.
“We’ve done it in the past with county sponsors,” Hodges said. “This is the first regional event we’ve done. We want to make farmers and producers aware how important safety is, on and around their farms. “
Highway Patrol members also briefed area farmers on highway regulations regarding agriculture use. The regulations tend to change each year and always require updates.
Ronald Hawkins, team leader for North Carolina Farm Bureau’s Safety Program, explained that safety is an important but vital part of company’s customer relations.
“We help identify safety resources and program ideas with organizations or county farm bureaus that want to conduct any safety program or activity in their respective county. This is funded by the county farm bureau, North Carolina Farm Bureau, or other agricultural agencies. Lots of companies, for example Husqvarna with chain saws, have an interest in following safety regulations.”
The Plymouth event had a nine-county sponsorship which included Beaufort, Chowan, Dare, and Washington counties.
The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, Tideland EMC, and the East Carolina Injury Prevention Programs were some of the exhibitors at the event.