[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 38 (Monday, September 23, 2002)]
[Pages 1544-1545]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7592--National Farm Safety and Health Week, 2002

 September 13, 2002

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    American farm and ranch families embody our Nation's values of hard 
work, love of the land, and love of country. Farming not only feeds our 
country but increasingly provides more of our Nation's energy needs. The 
success of America's farmers and ranchers is essential to our economy, 
and helping to ensure their safety is an important goal for our country.
    Because their homes also serve as their workplace, our country's 
farm families are often exposed to unique hazards. These include 
powerful machinery, dangerous chemicals, unruly livestock, and buildings 
containing high dust and gas levels. To ensure safety, young family 
members helping with farm work must be trained to recognize these 
dangers; and we must also safeguard older farm workers whose health 
risks may increase due to aging and previous injuries.
    Professionals in the engineering safety and rural health fields have 
made significant progress in preventing accidents in agricultural 
settings. To protect machinery operators, industry has made great 
strides to incorporate safeguards to prevent rollovers, entanglements, 
and other accidents. Personal protective gear, new and safer packaging, 
and advances in respiratory protection and hearing conservation help 
protect agricultural workers from contact with hazardous products, 
excessive dust, gas, and unduly loud noise in the work environment.
    To ensure our farmers' continued health, we must increase public 
awareness of available safety precautions. Simple, economical tools and 
procedures can help prevent accidents on farms. With proper installation 
and care, lighting and marking devices reduce the risk of highway 
collisions between farm equipment and vehicles. By clearly labeling farm 
chemicals and storing them in locked containers, we can help avoid 
poisonings and injuries.
    America's farmers make invaluable contributions to our country, and 
my Administration is committed to preserving the farm way of life for 
future generations. In May, I was pleased to sign the Farm Security and 
Rural Investment Act of 2002. This generous new law will strengthen 
American agriculture and support our farmers through difficult times, 
without encouraging overproduction and depressing prices. I also intend 
to aggressively use my trade promotion authority to open markets to 
American farmers. By promoting farm safety, we strengthen our farm 
economy and help our Nation's farmers continue to be the best, most 
productive farmers in the world.
     Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, 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 the week of September 
15 through September 21, 2002, as National Farm Safety and Health Week. 
I call upon the agencies, organizations, and businesses that serve 
America's agricultural workers to strengthen their commitment to 
promoting farm safety and health programs. I also encourage American 
citizens to recognize the importance of our agricultural heritage and 
the valuable contributions America's farmers, ranchers, and farm workers 
make to our Nation's economy and vitality.
     In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day 
of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
seventh.
                                                George W. Bush

[[Page 1545]]

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., September 
18, 2002]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on September 14, and it was published in the Federal Register 
on September 19.