There is still time to register for the first annual Mower County Progressive Ag Safety Day being hosted by Riverland Community College, the Center for Agricultural and Food Science Technology and Mower County 4-H later this summer.

This event is planned to run from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Registration includes lunch, snacks, a take-home bag and a Safety Day t-shirt.

The event is free and open to any area youth who completed grades 3-6 in 2019. In case of rain, activities will be moved indoors.

Registration is due to the Mower County Extension Office by June 1. Space is limited to the first 100 registered participants.

Local funding and donations have been provided by Mower County Farm Bureau, Mower County American Dairy Association, Compeer Financial, Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, Thrivent Financial, Hy-Vee and Read’s Brown Swiss.

During the Progressive Ag Safety Day, children participate in interactive activities that reinforce the importance of taking responsibility for their own safety, respecting parents’ safety rules and sharing safety tips with their family and friends. Hands-on demonstrations teach participants lifesaving first aid techniques and reveal the hidden hazards of farm surroundings. Topics include ATV/Bicycle Safety, Tractor Safety, Fire Protection, First Aid, Grain Bin Safety, Chemical Safety, Electrical Safety and more.

“Children often see farm and livestock operations as exciting playgrounds providing endless hours of fun and adventure, but these facilities and the livestock and equipment on them can also set the stage of tragedy,” said Nick Schiltz of Riverland Community College, who is serving as the lead coordinator for the event.

“Nearly 400 Progressive Agriculture Safety Days are hosted annually across the U.S., Canada, and American Samoa, reaching more than 80,000 youth participants with the help of close to 20,000 local volunteers,” said Progressive Agriculture Foundation’s Education Content Specialist Jana Davidson. “The program aims to teach children living in farming and rural communities about how to prevent and reduce the risk of farm-related injuries and incidents.”

To register, download a copy of a registration form at https://z.umn.edu/ProgressiveAgSafetyDayRegistrationForm2019 or by calling the Mower County Extension Office at 507-437-9552. Completed registration forms can be mailed or dropped off at Mower County Extension, 1105 ½ Eighth Ave. NE, Austin, MN 55912

To learn more about the 2019 Mower County Progressive Ag Safety Day, please contact Nick Schiltz at nick.schiltz@riverland.edu or 507-402-6175, or Mower County 4-H at 507-437-9552.