Our Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps(R) Only Last a Day, But They'll Be Remembered for a Lifetime ...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- "If only ..." "If only I hadn't been in such a hurry that day." "If only I had shut the equipment down first." "If only my child had attended that farm safety camp, maybe he would have known what to do."

For ten years, Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps(R) have been helping children, parents, and volunteers learn about safe practices. As the only North American program of its kind, Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps(R) have been held in 756 communities, in 42 states and 4 Canadian provinces. The program has touched the lives of more than 323,606 participants and 107,986 adult and teen volunteers.

"We are pleased that we have been able to increase the number of camps in the past ten years, from 19 camps in 1995 to 340 camps in 2005," said Susan Reynolds, Executive Director - Programs. "The camps not only affect the lives of the participants, coordinators, and volunteers, but they also touch the lives of their families, friends and communities."

The stories of how lives have been affected vary, from one Natchez, MS parent who says, "As a result of camp, we're getting a fire extinguisher," to a 15-year-old who credits what he learned at a 1998 Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp(R) with saving his life last summer. Patrick Fletcher had been operating a tractor with a four-row ridger in a cornfield near his home in Shelton, Neb., when the ridger struck a power pole, causing power lines to fall on the tractor. Patrick did what he learned at camp -- he called for help on his cell phone and stayed inside the tractor cab until the power company arrived and turned off the power to the electrical lines.

The stories go on and on about how lives were affected and saved by the information learned at Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps(R). That information will continue to be shared in even more communities in the future due, in great part, to the generosity of our sponsors.

"The funding of these camps has allowed the growth in the program," said Randy Bernhardt, Executive Director -- Development. "In 1995 we had one sponsor. Today we have 67 individuals, companies and organizations that have enabled us to make a difference in so many lives. We are pleased that Farm Plan, Bayer Animal Health, Bayer Crop Science, Case IH, Farm Credit System Foundation, Kawasaki Motors Corporation USA, Monsanto Company, Shell Lubricants, State Farm, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Agrium, Progressive Farmer Magazine, ConocoPhillips and Kraft Foods have agreed to provide major funding for the 2005 Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps(R)."

If you are interested in attending a Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp(R), applying to coordinate a camp, making a contribution to the foundation, or finding out more about the program, log on to http://farmsafetyday.ae.iastate.edu/ or call 888-257-3529.