Each year, since 1944, the third week in September has been recognized as National Farm Safety& Health Week. For 2012, National Farm Safety & Health Week is September 16 - 22; the theme is Agricultural Safety & Health...A Family Affair. This recognition began as an annual promotion by the National Safety Council (NSC) and has been proclaimed as such by each sitting U.S. President since Franklin D. Roosevelt who signed the first document. This proclamation appears on the White House web site the first week in September. A partner of the NSC, the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), continues this tradition.

This year's theme for National Farm Safety & Health Week (NFSHW) has a focus on the foundation of agriculture throughout the world - the farm family. Although farming in many regions is moving toward large operations and corporate endeavors, a great percentage of the agrarian industry is still based in the family unit.

Agriculture continues to rank as one of the most dangerous occupations in North America. According to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), there were 596 deaths and 70,000 disabling injuries attributed to agriculture in 2010. As we recognize family farms, large and small, join us in honoring those who work so hard to feed the world.

To contact NECAS and its staff members, call 1-888-844-6322 or use the following emails: Dan Neenan - neenand@nicc.edu; Charlotte Halverson - halversc@nicc.edu; Gloria Reiter - reiterg@nicc.edu; The website address for NECAS is www.necasag.org.