The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
TRACTOR SAFETY
Madison County Agriculture and Tractor Safety Certificate Program begins Feb. 24
“It’s really about ensuring that they’re safe, not somuch about ensuring that they get a certificate.”
— Craig Brown, Program coordinator and 4-H Youth
Development Resource Educator
MADISON COUNTY, N.Y.
>> The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County (CCEMC) is once again offering the Madison County Agriculture and Tractor Safety Certificate Program (MCATSSP), open to youth between 14 and 19 years old.
This opportunity could be a way for future-farmers, agriculture workers, or those simply interested in the topic to boost their resume and professional experience in the field. Students who enroll will have access to guided, handson experiences with large equipment and other farm safety topics.
The program will take place on Monday evenings from6-9 p.m. starting Feb. 24 until March 30.
Organizers said this seven-session course will cover many aspects of farm safety with an emphasis on safely operating farmequipment and safety around animals.
Program coordinator and 4-H Youth Development Resource Educator, Craig Brown, shared his love for the program and how he and his team used the feedback from last year’s participants to
shape this year’s rendition. He commended how much the youth said they enjoyed the program, despite the hard work involved.
This year’s sessions will be held at SUNY Morrisville, Cazenovia Equipment Company, White’s Farm Supply, Gold Star Grain, and Kelsey’s Monanfran Farms, which may seem like a lot of ground to cover. But according to Brown, last year’s students found the wide-range of learning environments to be a program highlight. Students this year will be able to interact with livestock, get a tour of a grain mill, and get personal insight from professionals in the field.
Brown described the course as an eye-opening experience for students, pointing out that “previous students were able to think about other careers that they had never even thought about, such as using their tractor safety course and their driving skills to do CDL training.”
Students will also be able to meet other youths from different school districts within the county, possibly gaining lasting friendships they wouldn’t have found otherwise.
“It’s amazing the things you don’t realize,” Brown reflected about completing his own agriculture and safety course years ago. “It’s surprising howmuch I now use the skills I learned... even on a weekly basis.”
The MCATSSP is different from other programs that are heavily book and classroom-focused, said Brown. As part of the program, participants will have the opportunity to practice driving tractors and skid steers at two Saturday sessions held on March 7 and 14.
“Students are never rushed,” Brown said, “so we know that when they walk away, they’re comfortable with a tractor. It’s really about ensuring that they’re safe, not so much about ensuring that they get a certificate.”
To complete the program, participants must attend all sessions and pass both a written and practical exam. Upon successful completion of the test, participants will receive a certificate from the Department of Labor. It is important to note that employers are required by law to ask for this certificate before hiring a 14 or 15-year-old youth to work on their farms, according to the CCEMC.
Brown wanted to encourage girls who are interested in joining the program to sign up, noting the increase in females in agriculture over the years against the stereotype of agriculture being a male- dominated field. The CCEMC claimed that from the 2017 census, “out of the 1,272 agricultural producers within Madison County, 37.5% are women. The number of female farmers has doubled since 2002, and that number continues to increase.”
This year’s Agriculture and Tractor Safety Certificate Program costs $20 to attend, which includes all required textbooks. Enrollment is required before the first session. To register, visit https://pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=TSP_225.
Questions can be directed to Craig Brown at (315) 684-3001 ext. 111 or cbrown@cornell.edu.
This program is a cooperative effort between Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, the Madison County 4-H and FFA Programs, SUNY Morrisville educators, and community volunteers.