Four farm safety priorities this National Safety Month

The following information is provided by Nationwide®, your approved insurance and financial services company.

Every June, safety professionals and industry leaders across the country observe National Safety Month, an initiative by the National Safety Council (NSC) focused on preventing injury and saving lives, both at work and beyond.

For those working in agriculture—whether on a farm, ranch or agribusiness—safety isn’t just a best practice; it’s a daily priority. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), agricultural jobs rank among the most hazardous in the United States.

This year, Nationwide is proud to reinforce its commitment to worker safety by recognizing the importance of National Safety Month and its vital weekly themes.

What is National Safety Month?

Established by NSC in 1996, National Safety Month is an annual observance in June to raise awareness about preventing injuries and deaths, including in the workplace. It encourages individuals and organizations to make safety a priority by providing resources and highlighting leading causes of preventable injuries.

For farms and agribusinesses, where daily tasks carry inherent risks—from machinery operation to long hours on the road to physical strain—participation in National Safety Month is especially meaningful. It’s an opportunity to assess protocols, reconnect teams with essential training and start new conversations about safety, health and well-being.

How Nationwide supports worker safety initiatives

Nationwide has a long history as a partner and advocate for farmers, ag workers, and rural businesses. By aligning our efforts with the weekly themes of National Safety Month, we bring industry expertise and thought leadership to drive meaningful impact.

Week 1 (June 1-7): Continuous improvement

The first week of National Safety Month emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement—an ongoing commitment to enhancing safety, reducing risks and creating safer workplaces. This process involves reviewing current practices, identifying potential hazards and implementing effective solutions. For farmers, ranchers and agribusiness operators, it means utilizing resources like safety and risk management services, agtech solutions and safety programs such as Every STEP Counts.

Every STEP Counts helps owners, managers and workers create and maintain a safe workplace by focusing on four key areas:

1. Selection and orientation – Hiring and onboarding with safety in mind
2. Training and safety programs – Ongoing education to help prevent complacency
3. Events and losses – Managing incidents to reduce impact
4. Post-event understanding and actions – Supporting safe return-to-work and learning from events to prevent recurrence

By prioritizing continuous improvement, agricultural operators can stay ahead of evolving technologies, standards and practices, ensuring safety remains at the forefront. This proactive approach not only helps prevent accidents but also fosters a culture of awareness and responsibility.

Week 2 (June 8-14): Employee engagement

The second week of National Safety Month highlights ways to put such improvements into action. Employee engagement happens through things like open communication, hazard reporting and recognition of safe behaviors. Peer-led workshops and safety committee activity are two great examples for your whole team. They are specific ways farms and agribusinesses can encourage employee engagement on safety.

Week 3 (June 12-21): Roadway safety

Tractor rollovers and vehicle accidents on rural roads are common in agriculture, making roadway safety a top priority. Programs like Nationwide’s Drive the 5 safety program focuses on five key principles to promote safer driving practices. Simple steps like holding toolbox talks with employees, following road rules, using checklists and providing other helpful resources can foster a strong safety culture.  Tools like vehicle telematics and dashcams also play a big role. Offering resources on distracted driving and adding safety signage to machinery and equipment can remind operators to stay safe on the road.

Week 4 (June 22-30): Well-being

The final week of National Safety Month highlights well-being, expanding safety to include mental health—a crucial but often overlooked part of agriculture. Mental health support is especially important in farming communities, where rural males are over twice as likely to die by suicide. This issue is worsened by the stigma around mental health in farming. Promoting well-being means focusing on stress management, physical fitness and building a supportive workplace culture. These efforts help create healthier, safer environments for farm and agribusiness workers.

Building a safer future in agriculture

Nationwide’s commitment to worker safety and hazard prevention for agricultural workers is woven into our core values and everyday interactions. By actively participating in National Safety Month, we can work together to help farmers, ranchers and agribusiness managers focus on what matters most. That is to ensure that everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.

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•​​​​​​​ From the Fields: Josh Barton, San Joaquin County walnut, almond and olive farmer
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•​​​​​​​ State targets sharpshooters from Costco grapevines
•​​​​​​​ Moth damage rises as growers await new insecticide
•​​​​​​​ Advocacy in Action: California Farm Bureau tackles labor, immigration and forest management
•​​​​​​​ Four farm safety priorities this National Safety Month