“Families and farm employers aren’t always aware about the U.S. Department of Labor’s law that requires 14- and 15-year-old youth to receive tractor certification,” said Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension farm and ranch safety coordinator.

In 2022, NDSU offered two overnight regional youth farm safety camps, and this year, NDSU offered three camps held over three days in Williston, Fargo, and Bismarck.

“Our farm safety camps for youth have been so popular that we have had waiting lists. We have a lot of fun while learning farm safety and training on real tractors and farm equipment. Kids take home what they learn here to their family farms and ranches,” Johnson said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, youth need to be certified to operate tractors of greater than 20 horsepower and other hazardous equipment before they can actually go work for a farmer other than on their own family.

“At the camps, we are certifying 14- and 15-year-old youth to be able to meet the U.S. Department of Labor law that states youth need 20 hours of training with skilled operators on tractors and other machines,” she said.

During the training, youth work with many county Extension agents, who also serve as driving instructors. They learn to navigate a course with a tractor, and also take the written exam, which they must pass to be certified.

“We actually certified 47 kids this year, and we hope to continue this program next year. We are in the process of planning those camps already for 2024, and I am compiling a waiting list of kids who want to participate,” Johnson said.

A group of Extension agents work “tirelessly” with Johnson to make the hands-on camp interesting, fun, and educational.

“There is no lecture-style classroom. The kids rotate through hands-on learning stations, both inside and outside, and they are actually operating tractors and skid-steers,” she said. “We actually have a mini round baler that the kids get to operate, so they get to engage a live PTO and hydraulic system to follow a windrow of hay with the tractor and baler and make their own mini round bale.”

Johnson said it is “pretty powerful” what this program has grown into.

“We help youth gain confidence and safety habits when working on a farm or ranch. It helps them understand that it is okay to tell their parent, guardian, or boss if they don’t feel comfortable or safe conducting a task that has been assigned to them,” she said.

Bobcat safety engineers participated in the farm safety camps this year. They came and worked with youth on safe operation skills for driving skid-steers.

“Each participant had to use the grapple forks on the skid-steer to lift up a tire and place it on its round side so that the tire stood up, allowing them to practice their maneuvering and loader grapple skills,” she said. “Many had their first experience ever operating a skid steer.”

Other training exercises at the NDSU Farm Safety Camp include:

• The youth learn about safe livestock handling since many handle livestock on their own ranches. There is a mini arena set up where the youth learn about animal behavior and how to handle sheep in a safe way.

• The camp also covers transportation and road safety involving ag equipment.

• There is a farm first aid section where the camp works with local hospitals and clinics in “stop the bleed” training, and youth are able to build their own first aid kits.

• North Dakota Parks and Recreation provides all-terrain vehicle training, certification, and youth receive a safety helmet.

• Training also includes learning about the hazards of power lines and different electrical utilities on a farm.

• There is also training on fire safety and how to use a fire extinguisher properly.

Parents told Johnson about how excited and committed their kids were about the safety program and the camp.

“We have had some really cool parent testimony talking about the impact that this program has had on their child, and not just the child themselves, but as a family, because we really focus on how farm safety is a team sport,” she said.

Parents also participated in the safety camps, playing games that emphasize good communication.

“The only way safety is going to work is if we practice it together, so we actually have a component in our camps that focuses on parent leadership. How do we help our parents become safety role models? If that safety behavior is not demonstrated or practiced at home, then that young person does not have the role model to really showcase what safe behavior is and why we should practice safety skills on our operations,” she said.

Communication on the farm is important as a follow-up to the farm safety camp. Youth are not always able to take on the operation of heavy and hazardous equipment, whatever their age, and that is something that communicating as a family discovers.

“We start talking about making sure that when parents or guardians are assigning tasks to their children that they don’t just look at a child’s age. Age is only one factor amongst many others that need to be considered when assigning farm tasks to youth,” she said. “What we are really looking at is our responsibility to match that child’s physical, emotional, and mental strength to the task on the farm. Not every 15-year-old is ready to operate a potentially hazardous machine, but we can find a task that fits every youth on the farm and ranch.”

These regional youth farm safety camps would not be possible without the businesses and organizations that support the camps, Johnson pointed out. The camper’s registration fee does not cover all the camp’s expenses.

“Our NDSU Extension youth farm safety camps were made possible by generous sponsorships provided by businesses and organizations across North Dakota and beyond,” Johnson said.

Because of financial sponsorships, the safety camp leaders were able to purchase personal protective equipment, such as hearing protection muffs, farm first aid kids, tire pressure gauges, safety glasses, safety T-shirts and more. Johnson said they were “so grateful” for all the sponsorships for safety tools for the campers.

“At the farm safety camp, we offer a safe space for kids to learn. For some, it was their first time ever operating a tractor, an ATV, skid-steer or working with livestock, so our team of Extension agents and trainers have incredible patience and support to help the next generation of farmers and ranchers gain confidence and develop safety habits to use throughout their entire lifetime,” Johnson concluded.