By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

STONE CREEK, Ohio — Farming is not a job; it’s a way of life, said Darlene Finzer, representative for a farm safety program in Tuscarawas County.

“Farmers don’t drop their kids at day school,” she said. “They are with them all day long. Farming is unique in that.”

And, accidents happen on farms. That inspired Finzer to start a chapter of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids in the rural county where farming is still the number one industry. That program was so successful that it inspired Farm Credit Service (FCS) of Mid-America to donate $10,000 to the group.

“This chapter is trying to do things to help kids be aware of what some of the dangers are, and we felt very strongly in supporting that,” said Debbie Grammer of FCS.

The donation will help the awareness program increase its outreach and impact as it brings hands-on safety to children and communities throughout Ohio. The farm safety group, which has evolved into an organization that promotes safety for adults as well as kids, offers tractor certification classes, presentations on tractors, animal and ATV safety and pedal tractor pulls – with a difference.

“Our pedal tractors are unique in that they come equipped with safety features, including a roll bar and seat belt,” Finzer said. “We would like to see them on (and being used on) all tractors.”
The $10,000 was used to buy an enclosed trailer to haul the pedal tractors and other equipment. “Being able to purchase a larger trailer will allow us to expand our program,” she said.

“Our customers are rural people,” said Grammer. “We have had borrowers whose children have been killed or hurt and it really brought home to us that we wanted to do everything we can to protect kids on a farm.

“These people are committed to doing that. Giving them the money and helping them get the trailer, which will let them expand what they could do with the kids, looked like a very worthwhile project for us.”

FCS has instituted a program to give back to the community. Local offices may apply for the funds.

“For the past two years – and they plan to keep doing it in the future – they have donated $25,000 to the community,” Grammer said.

FCS, a $13 billion financial service serving more than 84,000 farmers, agribusinesses and rural residents in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee, supports communities by donating money annually to organizations that benefit the rural community. Interested organizations can phone 800-444-FARM.