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Offering grants for rollover protection

Offering grants for rollover protection

Wisconsin may set aside US$250,000 per year to increase equipment safety

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Wisconsin legislators hope a bill designed to provide rebates to producers who install rollover protection systems (ROPS) on tractors will be more inclined to invest in the safety equipment.

Senate Bill 35 calls for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide up to US$250,000 in grants per year specifically for rollover protection. The bill passed a bi-partisan vote in April and will head to the full State Senate for further consideration.

If passed, the bill would act as a cost share. The government would cover up to 30 percent up to a total cost of US$1,670 with the individual or organization paying the remaining 70 percent. If the cost exceeds US$1,670, the individual or organization will be responsible for these extra charges.

Wisconsin’s ag, forestry, fishing and hunting industries accounted for 24 of the state’s workplace fatalities in 2017, up from 20 the year before, the U.S. Department of Labor says. Of those 24 deaths, 12 occurred during crop production.

Safety is the primary concern but the bill comes at a time of low producer income, said Rep. Tony Kurtz, who co-sponsored the bill.


Rep. Tony Kurtz

“The ag community is hurting in general, and there are a lot of older tractors out there that don’t have any rollover protection,” he told Farms.com. “The goal of this bill is to put aside some money to help retrofit some of those older tractors, especially at a time when more and more farmers are strapped for cash.”

The bill could also help younger farmers as they enter the industry.

Several beginning farmers choose older equipment because it’s cost-effective, Kurtz said. But those pieces of equipment might not have rollover protection.

“I was talking to some younger farmers about some of the challenges of getting into farming and they mentioned the cost,” he said. “We know they’re going to buy older equipment because it’s cheaper, so if we can provide some grant money to help them make their tractors safer with rollover protection, then we should do that.”

Kurtz also approaches this bill from a personal perspective.

The quick thinking of a neighbor helped Kurtz survive a tractor rollover as a teenager.

“We were using an old John Deere tricycle-type tractor to pull up a large log out of a ravine,” he said. “I was inexperienced, and luckily the gentleman I was with realized we were starting to go over and had the wherewithal to push me off.”

Now the owner of a 200-acre grain farm, several of Kurtz’s tractors have rollover protection, he said.

Charles & Hudson/Flickr photo


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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