[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 123, 111th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8420--SEPT. 21, 2009

Proclamation 8420 of September 21, 2009
National Farm Safety and Health Week, 2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Our Nation's prosperity has been built on the skill and productivity of
our farmers and ranchers. Two centuries ago, many American families
toiled in fields and grasslands so that they might feed themselves.
Today, those in the agricultural sector provide food, fiber, biofuels,
and many other life necessities for millions across our Nation and
around the world. The hard work and talent of those in the agricultural
industry, and continued advances in technology and efficiency, have
provided great security to the United States.
As they offer great benefits to our Nation, farmers and ranchers also
face significant risks in the course of their everyday duties. They
often transport and operate heavy and hazardous equipment and work in
extreme weather conditions. Farmers may be exposed to pesticides,
fertilizers, chemicals, and dust that can be harmful to human health.
They also work in dangerous areas such as wells, silos, and grain
elevators. These individuals must take great precautions to protect
their health and safety, especially since rural residents may have to
travel long distances to receive trauma care for an accident-related
injury. They must also take particular care to avoid accidents involving
children.
As the fall harvest season approaches, I encourage farm and ranch
families and workers to participate in farm safety and health programs.
I also encourage them to follow optimal farm safety and health
practices. Businesses and communities, and organizations and neighbors,
can encourage one another to understand the risks of this work so that
we can prevent accidents, prevent exposure to potential hazards, and
save lives.

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123 STAT. 3702

Working long hours at physically demanding and often dangerous tasks,
farmers and ranchers provide for our Nation and countless others across
the world. Even as they have faced risks, they have made our
agricultural sector more productive and practiced good stewardship of
our country's natural resources. This week, Americans express gratitude
for the untold benefits we enjoy from their labor, and we honor their
achievements by urging continued commitment to the highest standards of
safety and health.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 20 through
September 26, 2009, as National Farm Safety and Health Week. I call upon
the people of the United States to join me in celebrating the vital
contributions of farmers and ranchers to our Nation and in reflecting
upon the importance of farm safety and health in communities across
America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
fourth.
BARACK OBAMA