[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 39 (Monday, September 29, 1997)]
[Pages 1385-1386]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7026--National Farm Safety and Health Week, 1997

September 19, 1997

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    From the earliest days of our Nation, the men and women who work the 
land have held a special place in America's heart, history, and economy. 
Many of us are no more than a few generations removed from forebears 
whose determination and hard work on farms and fields helped to build 
our Nation and shape its values. While the portion of our population 
directly involved in agriculture has diminished over the years, those 
who live and work on America's farms and ranches continue to make 
extraordinary contributions to the quality of our national life and the 
strength of our economy.
    The life of a farmer or rancher has never been easy. The work is 
hard, physically challenging, and uniquely subject to the forces of 
nature; the chemicals and labor-saving machinery that have helped 
American farmers become so enormously productive have also brought with 
them new health hazards; and working with livestock can result in 
frequent injury to agricultural workers and their families.
    Fortunately, there are measures we can take to reduce agriculture-
related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Manufacturers continue to 
improve the safety features of farming equipment; protective clothing 
and safety gear can reduce the exposure of workers to the health threats 
posed by chemicals, noise,

[[Page 1386]]

dust, and sun; training in first-aid procedures and access to good 
health care can often mean the difference between life and death.
    The key to all these safety measures is education. During National 
Farm Safety and Health Week, I encourage America's farmers, ranchers, 
and other agricultural workers to remain alert to the dangers inherent 
in their livelihood. By learning about and using the latest safety 
features of farming equipment and vehicles, wearing personal protective 
gear and clothing, and practicing good preventive health care, they can 
avoid or reduce many of the hazards they face each day. It is 
particularly important to teach our young people on farms and ranches 
about proper safety measures, to provide safe areas where children can 
play, and to monitor their activities. Their experience and maturity 
must always be considered before they are allowed to participate in farm 
or ranch work.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, 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 
21 through September 27, 1997, as National Farm Safety and Health Week. 
I call upon government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, 
and professional associations that serve our agricultural sector to 
strengthen efforts to promote safety and health measures among our 
Nation's farm and ranch workers. I ask agricultural workers to take 
advantage of available technology, training, and information that can 
help them prevent injury and illness. I also call upon all Americans to 
observe Wednesday, September 24, 1997, as a day to focus on the risks 
facing young people on our Nation's farms and ranches and to reflect 
during this week on the bounty that we enjoy thanks to the hard work and 
dedication of America's agricultural workers.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day 
of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, 
and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 
and twenty-second.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:59 a.m., September 24, 
1997]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on September 22, and it was published in the Federal Register 
on September 25.