The death and injury numbers show a need for continued education and training among agricultural workers. Extension safety specialists at land-grant universities across the United States are working to bring the level of preventable incidents down. Many of their educational initiatives are aimed at the most dangerous farming activities, including farm tractor and skid steer loader operations, handling livestock, and working in or near crop storage facilities such as silos, manure pits and grain bins. Other organizations work diligently with special populations of workers. Children and youth are at increased risk for injury and death for many reasons.
Many young people get into trouble by copying what they see adults do on the farm.
If they notice a parent step over an operating power take-off, they will most likely do the same, even though it is not a safe practice. If they observe an older person not wearing their seat belt while operating a tractor with roll-over protection, they are prone to doing the same unsafe act when they operate machinery. Younger children also like to climb and can get into serious trouble by climbing on silos and grain bins where the ladders are within reach. Among agricultural safety and health professionals, there is an increased interest in working to prevent the excessive level of injuries and death among the elderly. Many farmers do not retire at age 65.