Migrant Farm Children Experience Farm Safety
Plainview hosts Farm Safety Day Camp
It’s not surprising that a progressive farmer farm safety day camp in the middle of one of largest agricultural farming areas of the country succeeds in having over 170 children in attendance. This one-day camp is unique in Texas because it offers migrant farm children, ranging in ages from five to 13 the opportunity to participate.
Migrant farm working families conducting seasonal farm labor come to the area in the summer months. The workers live and work in the High Plains and Panhandle regions. Children in Hale and the surrounding counties including Hockley, Bailey, Floyd, Castro, Terry and Lubbock attended this year’s camp.
The second annual farm safety day was filled with excitement on July 7. 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, 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 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.
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 PTO safety session.
A new farm safety topic was added according to Tricia Vowels, camp organizer and program specialist with the Texas Department of Health. “We added oil well safety this year. 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”, she added.
Devon Casey, public health specialist for the Texas Department of Health said, “If we could help just one child from getting sick or from being killed that makes the whole effort a success.”
Over 60 entities sponsored the camp in 2005, with many corporate sponsors funding made available through the progressive farmer foundation.
Wes-Tex RC&D Director, James Belk, presents the matching-grant check
