By Blake Jackson
Visitors attending Penn State’s Ag Progress Days from August 12-14 will find a wide range of engaging demonstrations and educational sessions focused on agricultural safety and rural health.
The Farm Safety Demonstration Area and the Rural Health and Safety Tent will feature interactive exhibits, hands-on training, and expert guidance.
This year’s demonstrations will spotlight safety risks related to riding lawn mowers equipment widely used in both farm and residential settings. Live sessions at 10 a.m. and noon on Tuesday and Thursday will explore current mower technology and safety practices.
The Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health Program will showcase a lawn tractor equipped with a vision-based automatic shut-off system, inviting feedback from attendees on its potential usefulness.
On Wednesday, Aug. 13, RescueTechs LLC and the Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Company will simulate a tractor rollover emergency at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., showing how first responders handle such incidents.
Additionally, commercial drone operators will demonstrate the safe use of unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture, adjacent to the safety tent.
Inside the Ag Safety and Health tent, experts from Penn State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering will answer safety-related questions and offer free supplies such as “Slow Moving Vehicle” emblems, PTO shields, hearing protection, and high-visibility gear for children.
The “Stop the Bleed” training, led by Penn State College of Medicine and Geisinger Trauma Services, will run daily. Tuesday and Thursday sessions are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Wednesdays begin at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Families completing the 30-minute training will receive a free kit, while supplies last.
Engineering students will also present their projects: The Penn State Pullers will display their 1/4-scale tractor at 2 p.m. Tuesday/Thursday and 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, while the AgriBot Club will showcase their AI-powered robot at 1 p.m. Tuesday/Thursday and noon Wednesday.
Located at the end of West Sixth Street, the Rural Health and Safety Tent will offer free health screenings and information from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. A variety of organizations will provide resources covering topics such as disability assistance, CPR, stroke prevention, and hygiene.
More details can be found on the Ag Progress Days website.
Photo Credit: gettyImages-shaunl
Categories: Pennsylvania, Business, Rural Lifestyle, Farm Safety