Safety First: Forage Harvesters and Balers Pose Significant Safety Risks

Jun 04, 2025

By Phil Kaatz

In late summer of 2023, a 23-year-old farm worker was found entangled in a running baler—alone in the field, the machine still running. His death was preventable. This tragedy highlights a critical truth: forage harvester and baler safety are non-negotiable.

Spring and summer are the times when harvesting forages turn into a race between quality and quantity. Often this race gets squeezed into a small window of opportunity before a rain event can spoil forage quality and/or quantity. When this happens, farmers may start to hurry to beat the raindrops. In my experience as a Michigan State University Extension educator, when farmers feel a sense of urgency, this is when accidents may be more frequent. Small steps may be missed, and important safety steps skipped because rain is coming!

Forage production is done with powerful equipment that cuts, crushes, chops and compresses large volumes of material. Whether you are a large or small farm, you need to respect the equipment you work around. Do not become complacent and let your guard down when it comes to safety.

Source : msu.edu

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.