Migrant Farm Children Experience Farm Safety

Plainview hosts Farm Safety Day Camp

Located in the heart of the nation’s farming country, the High Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas have thousands of migrant farm families that come to the area to work during harvest season. Farm safety is always an issue among adults working around farm equipment, but particularly children because farming is the only occupation that allows children to begin earning wages at 12 years of age.

Over 170 children of migrant farm workers attended the second annual Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp in Plainview, Texas on July 7. This one-day camp is unique in Texas because it offers migrant farm children, ranging in ages from five to 13, the opportunity to actively participate and learn about farm safety issues they can face on a daily basis.

Children in Hale and the surrounding counties including Hockley, Bailey, Floyd, Castro, Terry and Lubbock attended this year’s camp. Interpreters were available for children that did not speak English.

 

Wes-Tex RC&D Director, James Belk (Left) presents a $500 matching grant check to Cindy Burleson, director of the West Texas Health Education Center. Their combined funding was used to support the day camp activities.

Activities began after campers registered and received camp T-shirts and caps. Children were divided into groups with a leader and experienced farm safety instruction by rotating through 14 presentations.

The Migrant Farm Council and the Texas Health Department employees developed the program for the area through the Progressive Farmer’s Farm Safety Program. In 2004, they worked to develop a partnership with many state and federal agencies, local businesses, and interested individuals.

Wes-Tex Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) from those counties in the area provided assistance in the program. Wes-Tex RC&D matched a $500.00 grant with the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) for camp funding. Over 60 entities sponsored the camp in 2005, with many corporate sponsors funding made available through the Progressive Farmer Foundation.

NRCS and the SWCDs were instrumental in planning, volunteering time and finding more sponsors for the event. Lynnette Payne, NRCS district conservationist in Levelland, presented a tractor power take-off (PTO) safety session.

“This year we added oil well safety,” stated Tricia Vowels, camp organizer and program specialist with the Texas Department of Health. “Campers also learned about a variety of safety tips for tobacco use, electricity, chemicals, grain, food and water, tractor, sun and hydration and many others. It was exciting to see the kids asking so many questions.”

“If we could help just one child from getting sick or from being killed that makes the whole effort a success,” said Devon Casey, public health specialist for the Texas Department of Health.