A few weeks ago, in an attempt to formulate a topic idea for a blog post, I found myself Googling absolutely arbitrary things to provoke some inspiration. Eventually, and not surprisingly, I started looking up some farming facts and statistics, and believe me or not when I say I truly had no clue how dangerous farming ranks when compared to other professions.
I mean, I know it’s dangerous, but I guess I didn’t realize the extent of its danger until I read some actual reports. Check out the following information from farmprogress.com.
- “In 2021, workers in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry experienced one of the highest fatal injury rates at 20 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers, compared to a rate of 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers for all U.S. industries.
- “Transportation incidents, which include tractor overturns and roadway crashes, were the leading cause of death for farmers and farm workers. Other leading causes were contact with objects and equipment, violence by other persons or animals, and falls, slips, and trips.
- “In 2021, almost two-thirds (65%) of deaths in the agriculture, forestry, and commercial fishing (AgFF) industry occurred to workers 55 years of age and older,” the web page states.
I’ll mention that these statistics, by no fault of their own, are probably not even entirely accurate seeing as a lot of farmers will not go to their nearest emergency room unless a limb is quite literally hanging off. A lot of farming injuries go unreported.
One of the main reasons farming can be so dangerous is because it is an occupation which oftentimes involves someone working entirely alone. If you aren’t with anyone while working and you happen to have an accident, unless your phone is on your person and you’re able to use it, no one would even be aware of the fact you’re seriously injured and need help.
My dad has certainly had his share of injuries, as has Blaine, myself, and quite literally everyone I know who works in the agricultural industry.
All the more reason to thank and appreciate farmers.
Photo by Tomas Hertogh on Unsplash
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