[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7390-H7391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING GOALS AND PURPOSES OF NATIONAL FARM SAFETY AND HEALTH WEEK

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 494) supporting the goals and 
purposes of National Farm Safety and Health Week and applauding the men 
and women who provide a stable supply of food and fiber for the United 
States and the world.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 494

       Whereas nearly half of the land in the United States is 
     used for agricultural production;
       Whereas many farmers and ranchers operate and maintain 
     heavy-duty equipment and machinery and work with large and 
     unpredictable livestock, which makes farming and ranching 
     among the most dangerous occupations in the United States;
       Whereas farmers and ranchers are at risk of serious work-
     related accidents, and many farmers and ranchers suffer 
     disabling injuries each year;
       Whereas the children of farmers and ranchers are at special 
     risk from farm-related accidents;
       Whereas the President has proclaimed, by Executive Order, 
     September 19 through September 25, 2004, as National Farm 
     Safety and Health Week ; and
       Whereas National Farm Safety and Health Week provides an 
     opportunity for increased awareness and educational programs 
     targeted towards the protection and productivity of farmers 
     and ranchers: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) supports the goals and purposes of National Farm Safety 
     and Health Week; and
       (2) applauds the men and women who provide a stable supply 
     of food and fiber for the United States and the world.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume. I should start by congratulating the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Reynolds) for introducing this resolution, and I rise in 
wholehearted support of it, which brings our attention to the goals and 
purposes of National Farm Safety and Health Week which the President 
proclaimed for this week, beginning September 19.
  For those of us who represent American farmers and ranchers, we know 
the long hours farmers devote to getting the crops safely to the bin or 
the cotton to the gin. Farmers are in the fields now harvesting this 
year's field crops. When the weather is ripe for picking corn or 
cutting beans, farmers understand the good weather window could close 
at any time, and that could mean fewer bushels or less quality. When 
the cotton bolls are ready, the gins are ready to run.
  Unfortunately, as we have seen in many parts of the country this 
year, there are risks in this seasonal activity, and today, we want to 
applaud America's farmers who run the big machines and our ranchers who 
manage the big and sometimes unruly animals. We want to take a few 
minutes this afternoon to commend America's men and women who plant, 
tend and harvest the world's most bountiful supply of food and fiber in 
the world for us, the American consumers, and a large part of the world 
as well.
  All of us need to understand the importance of agriculture to our 
economy and our quality of life. This resolution is one part of 
recognizing the importance of agriculture by bringing the Nation's 
attention to the importance of safety and health on our farms and 
ranches.
  I again commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds) for 
bringing this resolution before the House and urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 494, which supports the 
goals and purposes of National Farm Safety and Health Week and applauds 
the men and women who provide a stable supply of food and fiber for the 
United States and the world.
  By way of background, it should be noted that, for well over half a 
century, Congress has recognized National Farm Safety and Health Week. 
As far back as the 1940s, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed 
the first presidential proclamation recognizing National Farm Safety 
and Health Week in order to commemorate the hard work, diligence and 
sacrifices that our Nation's farmers and ranchers make on a daily 
basis.

[[Page H7391]]

                              {time}  1800

  This week is a time for our Nation to reflect upon the important role 
that U.S. agriculture has played and continues to play in this Nation 
and throughout the entire world. The United States began as an agrarian 
society, and agriculture has been the backbone of this country. Over 
time, however, our Nation became more industrialized, and people left 
the farms and rural areas to pursue opportunities in the cities. And 
yet despite the fact that there are fewer people producing the Nation's 
food and fiber, productivity has increased.
  While the business of farming has undergone significant changes since 
the founding of this Nation, one thing has not changed: farming 
continues to be one of the most hazardous occupations in the United 
States. A report by the National Safety Council concluded that 
agriculture had the second highest fatality rate of all industries in 
the Nation. In 2003 alone there were 710 farm-related fatalities and 
110,000 disabling injuries.
  I hasten to add that, because of the nature of family farms, farm-
related injuries and fatalities are not solely limited to adults. A 
2001 study by the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural 
Health and Safety reported that nearly 1.5 million young people, 20 
years or younger, lived or worked on farms. The same study showed that 
more than 660,000 in that age range were employed but not living on 
farms. According to the study, more than 100 children younger than 20 
die each year and more than 22,000 are injured from agriculture-related 
injuries. Similarly, a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics 
showed that for teenagers farm jobs have the highest rate of fatalities 
of all types of teen employment.
  While there are many potential hazards on a farm, the greatest 
continues to be machinery. Reports indicate that 30 percent of farm 
machinery-related deaths occur in children less than 5 years old. 
Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
concludes that 68 percent of farm-related deaths can be traced to some 
sort of machinery, including tractors, trucks, equipment such as augers 
and loaders, power takeoffs, and haying equipment.
  Of all the equipment on the farm, tractors remain the most dangerous. 
In fact, OSHA reports that more than half of the deaths that occur on 
the farm are the result of tractor accidents. Of the deaths caused by 
tractor accidents, 57 percent are the result of rollovers and another 9 
percent are the result of people either falling off or getting run over 
by a tractor.
  Agriculture-related deaths and injuries are not limited to incidents 
involving machinery, however. Farmers and ranchers are subject to a 
whole host of other dangers including agriculture chemicals and 
fertilizers, unruly and unpredictable livestock, and buildings that 
contain high dust levels and toxins.
  It goes without saying that the commitment to farm safety cannot be 
limited to a single week. Nevertheless, this timely and welcome 
resolution to commemorate farm safety reminds us all of how important 
it is for farmers, ranchers, and their workers to perform their work 
safely and to take precautions to protect themselves. When one's child 
is out there with them, take a little extra bit of care for that 
youngster.
  By recognizing the dangers inherent in farming and ranching and by 
taking steps to prevent accidents, our Nation will continue to lead the 
world in the production of agriculture commodities.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds), the author of the 
concurrent resolution.
  (Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Committee on 
Agriculture for yielding me this time. I also appreciate the strong 
support of my concurrent resolution by both the chairman and ranking 
member of the Committee on Agriculture today.
  Mr. Speaker, I am here to recognize the National Farm Safety and 
Health Week and to thank our farmers and ranchers nationwide for their 
hard work day in and day out.
  Over half the land in the United States is used for agricultural 
production; and without the work of our farmers and ranchers, our 
Nation and others around the world would not have the safe, stable 
supply of food and fiber that we enjoy today.
  In my home State of New York, agriculture is the number one industry, 
and I am proud to represent one of the largest agricultural areas in 
the State. In districts like mine all across this great land, farmers 
work long, hard hours and make tremendous sacrifices. They should be 
applauded for their efforts.
  Unfortunately, those long, hard hours are not risk-free. Sadly, there 
are hundreds of farm-related fatalities and thousands of injuries every 
year, and sadder still, many of these accidents could be prevented 
through increased awareness and better safety practices.
  The National Farm Safety and Health Week is a national effort to 
reduce the number of farming- and ranching-related deaths and injuries 
through educational and awareness initiatives. Helping educate our 
farmers and their families on necessary safety precautions is essential 
to ensuring the strong productivity of our agricultural sector.
  I would like to commend the National Safety Council for their 
leadership and continued work towards achieving these goals through the 
National Farm Safety and Health Week. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I have no further requests for time, but let me just say in closing 
that I am honored to join today with the chairman of the House 
Committee on Agriculture and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds) 
in joining with the President, President Bush, having declared this 
week National Farm Safety Week; and I am very happy to join in support 
of that concurrent resolution, in support of the President. I thank the 
President for recognizing this important contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas for working with us on 
bringing forth this concurrent resolution and congratulate the 
gentleman from New York for bringing this forward. And I urge my 
colleagues to adopt what I think is important to not just people in 
rural America but in all America, to understand the importance of 
agriculture and the importance of farm safety. With that, I urge my 
colleagues to support the concurrent resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Lewis of Kentucky). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. 
Con. Res. 494.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________