Working safely in the food and agriculture industry
Print
EmailAn upcoming 4-H Exploration Days session will help teach young people about jobs in agriculture and the importance of safety.
The benefits of working in the agriculture industry include indoor and outdoor work environments and lots of interesting and innovative equipment. There are many positions available, including human resources and financial positions, equipment operators, website designers, animal herdsmen and more. While rewarding, jobs in the industry can also be risky, so learning safe work practices are important. During 4-H Exploration Days, held in June as one of Michigan State University’s pre-college Spartan Youth Programs, we will offer a session for young people of age 12 and up to learn more about this important topic.
Join us on the MSU Agronomy Farm for Bump! Thud! Snap! Digging into Safety. In this session, we will bump, thud and snap our way through working safely on and around farms and agribusinesses. We will explore different food and agricultural related jobs while emphasizing the rewards and risks of on-site safety. Through hands-on demonstrations, learn how to recognize common hazards, prevent accidents, and respond to emergency situations in this career field. Lessons will include:
- Pros and cons of family operations
- General farm/ranch safety and the importance of center of gravity
- Working with animals, including field of vision and knots
- Emergency preparedness and make your own first aid kits
- Potential hazards around equipment
- General farm and ranch hazards, including gravity wagon safety
- Ag career games
From agritourism and landscaping, to drones and various technologies, as well as raising plants and animals, the opportunities to work in the food and agriculture industry abound in Michigan and nationwide. According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), 17% of Michigan employees work in some aspect of the food and agriculture industry. MDARD also indicates that “there are just under 10 million acres of farmland in Michigan, and the state is home to roughly 47,600 farms.”
The Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (ERSUSDA) indicates that “in 2021, 21.1 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sectors—10.5% of total U.S. employment. Direct on-farm employment accounted for about 2.6 million of these jobs, or 1.3% of U.S. employment.”
4-H Exploration Days registration begins in mid-March and is first-come, first-serve. Visit the program website for more information and registration details. Michigan State University Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development helps to prepare young people for successful futures. For more information or resources on career exploration, workforce preparation, financial education or youth entrepreneurship, email us at 4-HCareerPrep@anr.msu.edu.
