Fall Manure Application Season: Five Safety Priorities for Farmers

Sep 25, 2025

By Daniel Andersen and Melissa McEnany

National Farm Safety and Health Week 2025 is Sept. 21–27, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach reminds operators that safety is critical when handling, transporting and applying manure.

Associate professor and extension agriculture engineering specialist Daniel Andersen highlights five key manure safety tips to help farmers, as well as their families and communities, stay safe and healthy.

Equipment and rural road safety

According to Andersen, between 2005 and 2010, more than 7,000 crashes involving farm machinery occurred. In Iowa, rear-end collisions often occur during busy harvest and manure application seasons, and research shows that states with strong lighting and marking standards for agricultural equipment have significantly fewer crashes.

“Make sure that equipment lights work, slow-moving vehicles signs are visible and equipment is properly marked,” he said. “It saves lives.”

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.