Last year there were fewer agricultural deaths in Pennsylvania, but the financing of AG-related security programs could also decrease.
According to Penn State Extension's annual security report, there were 19 well -known agricultural deaths in 2024. In 2023 there was 33. The total of 2024 is lower than the 25th year average of 28 deaths per year.
Florence Becot, the management of the program for agricultural security and health of Penn State, said that the number can vary greatly from year to year. The lowest number of deaths in the past 25 years has been 16 years old. In 2021, however, there were 39 deaths in 2020 and 37 deaths in 2022.
“The question of deaths in agriculture is persistent,” she said. “Deaths are actually the tip of the iceberg because injuries are the other component and a difficult to pursue.”
The deaths of last year occurred in 16 counties, with Lancaster (4) and York (2) reaching the list. Most victims were either over 65 years (47%) or younger than 10 (26%), and men made up the majority (84%).
The government responsible for the security standards at the workplace wants to change the way in which employers deal with the heat.
Responsible on a broader geographical benchmark, responsible for Pennsylvania usually most of the deaths in the northeast of the northeastern states. In 2023, 57% of all deaths occurred in Pennsylvania on the farm in the northeast.
In addition, the Amish and Mennonite communities made up 42% of all farm deaths last year, and tractor or machine incidents were the main cause.
Becot said there is a connection.
“The use of tractors, fork stacks and ski loaders in these communities has increased,” she said. “In some cases, for a long time they have not used something like a tractor as in other farms, so that training and experience are not there.”
The fact that older farmers make up the most deaths can also be attributed to the most part of the machines. Most deaths in the 65th and segment are over the age of 70 or higher, said Becot, and they usually operate older devices that do not have the safety features of modern machines.
“If you have no one who takes over the farm and approaches retirement, these farmers usually do not invest in newer machines,” she said.
The effects of aging also play a role, added Becot, since older farmers could have problems with reflexes, hearing and eyesight.
In children, animal -related incidents made a leading contribution to deaths.
Children are also at risk because many agricultural businesses are in the immediate vicinity of the house, which means that children are often nearby.
“It is not unusual to have children in the farm in the farm while they work. Sometimes people with problems such as a lack of childcare have no choice, but their children nearby when they work on the farm,” said Becot.
Machines are an important problem for tractor cans when it comes to injuries and deaths, but this front was a certain success.
According to Becot, the Penn State Rops discount program has led to at least 16 rescued human life since its implementation in 2010. However, the financing of the program is to be reduced together with the financing of other agricultural security programs.
A lack of funds was a challenge when it comes to the security of agriculture in Pennsylvania. New York used Becot as a comparison to emphasize which financing can be achieved.
In Pennsylvania, the mortality rate on agricultural companies is 3.7 per 10,000, while the rate in New York is 2.6.
According to an expert, the silo collapse of Pennsylvania, which led to the death of 31-year-old Bryan Kendall, is a rare event, but a situation that deserves more attention because many silos are now for decades old.
According to Becot, the difference is that New York has a large program for health and security from agriculture, but the resources in Pennsylvania are limited.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to do this work because there is a lack of funds,” she said. “We are constantly receiving inquiries to carry out programming and security movements on farms, but many inquiries are not met due to a lack of funds and employees.”
After this year, Becot is planning to create a 5-year-cumulative report on deaths on agricultural and, if the resources are available, to create study injuries to agricultural companies.
The latter could present a clear picture of the state of agricultural security in Pennsylvania.
“These are painful moments for a family with which we can also deal with the injury share, can help to demonstrate more funds,” she said.