JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Show-Me Farm Safety Committee is partnering with Purdue University to bring the “Gearing Up for Safety: Production Agriculture Training for Youth” curriculum to Missouri’s educators and youth. The curriculum is designed to provide young Missourians with the knowledge and skills they need to safely work on farms.
“We are excited to partner with Purdue University to bring this robust learning resource to Missourians,” said Anna Hui, Director of the Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, a Show-Me Farm Safety Committee member. “This curriculum is a perfect tool for youth looking for summer work, graduating students interested in farming as a full-time job, or agricultural educators wanting a comprehensive lesson plan.”
The “Gearing Up for Safety” curriculum is designed to provide an instructor with the necessary tools for organizing and conducting a production agriculture safety training program for youth. The curriculum includes 15 interactive and engaging PowerPoint lessons with notes to help the instructor through the content. In addition to the PowerPoints, each lesson has self-study videos, activity sheets, review questions, quizzes and teaching aids.
In the process of bringing the curriculum to Missouri, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has worked side-by-side with the Show-Me Farm Safety Committee to review and provide feedback on the curriculum.
By completing the “Gearing Up for Safety” training, 14- and 15-year-olds will be eligible to be certified for employment operating tractors and some hazardous machinery through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hazardous Occupations in Agriculture Order.
Visit the farmsafety.mo.gov to learn more about the curriculum and how to get started.
The Show-Me Farm Safety Committee includes the following member agencies:
- Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
- Missouri Dairy Association
- Missouri Department of Agriculture
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services
- Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations
- Missouri Department of Mental Health
- Missouri Department of Transportation
- Missouri Farm Bureau
- Missouri Farmers Care
- Missouri FFA Association
- Missouri Pork Association
- Missouri State Highway Patrol
- Missouri Suicide Prevention Network
- University of Missouri Extension