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ROCHESTER — University of Minnesota Extension is partnering with North Dakota State University Extension to offer a series of farm safety webinars this winter. The purpose of these webinars is to empower communities and individuals to prioritize safety on the farm.

The webinar series will be at 11 a.m. on Thursdays from January through March. Each webinar will last one hour.

The Jan. 21 webinar is a Grain Bin Safety session that will feature a panel moderated by Angie Johnson, Farm & Ranch Safety Program Coordinator and Extension Agent with NDSU Extension. Panelists include Rich Schock, captain of the Sheyenne Valley Technical Rescue Team and Ken Hellevang, agricultural engineer with North Dakota State University Extension.

Feb. 4 will focus on Tractor and Equipment Safety. We will cover PTO use and safety, roadway safety, and will feature a conversation with North Dakota farmers Scott and Elizabeth Huso and their employee Chase Frederick, who was in an accident on their farm in the past. They will be joined by David Kraft, safety consultant for North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance.

On Feb. 18, the Youth Farm Safety webinar will feature a panel discussion moderated by Emily Krekelberg, Farm Safety & Health Extension Educator with University of Minnesota Extension. The panelists include Marsha Salzwedel with the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, Jana Davidson with Progressive Agriculture Foundation, and Diane Rohlman with University of Iowa College of Public Health. They will cover various resources and programs available for families with young farmers.

The March 4 discussion will focus on Livestock Safety. UMN Extension Cattle Production Extension Educator Joe Armstrong, DVM, will discuss and demonstrate proper animal handling in both confinement and pasture systems.

The series will conclude on March 18 with QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training by Krekelberg. QPR is a one-hour suicide prevention program that helps individuals learn the three steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide. This training is tailored toward agricultural communities.

The Farm Safety Webinar Series is offered free of charge. Participants must pre-register by visiting z.umn.edu/FarmSafetyWebinars. When registering for the webinar series, participants will have access to join each of the five webinar sessions. Participants can choose to attend any or all sessions of interest.

Questions can be sent to Krekelberg at krek0033@umn.edu or Johnson at angela.b.johnson@ndsu.edu.