West Virginia University Extension Service aims to decrease youth injuries on farms using a two-year federal grant.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture allotted $221,000 for the Youth Safe Farm program, which will educate and empower as many as 50 families to identify and control danger zones on their land.

WVU Extension agents in Braxton, Clay, Mercer, Mineral and Wirt counties will host community meetings to educate families on how to identify farm hazards and then help them create safety plans. Families will conduct farm audits to measure and monitor their progression toward safe farm designation.

During 2006, about 23,000 people under the age of 20 were injured on farms in the United States, according to Paul Becker, WVU Safety and Health Extension specialist.

Issues specific to Appalachian farming that will be addressed by the Youth Safe Farm program:

West Virginia is an economically underserved area. Farmers may be using older, poorly maintained machinery that could likely lead to accidents, Becker said.

Farming is often a part-time occupation for adults in the state, putting additional pressure on youths to help with farm upkeep.

West Virginias mountainous terrain increases the risk of falls and equipment rollovers.

The Youth Safe Farm program makes families accountable for their farmssafety,Becker said.By giving families planning tools and advice in a community forum, they can adjust their farm practices with careful eyes toward specific risks.

Previous injury reports list machinery, drowning and firearms as the leading causes of farm fatalities in the state, Becker said. Those areas, along with a new emphasis on all-terrain vehicle safety, will likely be covered during the community meetings.

Farmers who attend at least seven meetings, complete risk identification and correct hazards during the two-year period will be designatedWVU Youth Safe Farms.Each designated farm will receive a plaque.

In October, Extension agents will begin recruiting families from the five target counties to participate. Interested families should contact their local agents for more information.

WVU Extension Service provides educational programs in all 55 counties in West Virginia. To learn more, visit www.wvu.edu/~exten/ .