Mother Nature tried to fool us with winter-like conditions for the first few weeks of spring.
All that did was compress the time farmers have to complete planting.
That means there’s going to be plenty of those big farm machines and trucks out and about during planting season.
It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for a car traveling 55 mph to come upon those slow-moving vehicles.
Similarly, farmers should exercise due caution when they pull their vehicles out onto roads and remember to take the time not to rush or overextend themselves.
We all have responsibilities for being safe.
The Indiana State Police has pointed out some safety issues:
Slow-moving vehicles are required to pull off to the right when three or more vehicles are blocked and cannot pass on the left.
Slow-moving farm machinery traveling at less than 25 mph is required to display a slow-moving vehicle emblem on the back of the equipment.
Motorists, before passing farm machinery, should check to be sure the machinery is not turning left. Look for left turn lights or hand signals. If the machinery slows and pulls toward the right side of the road, the operator may be preparing to make a wide left turn. Likewise, sometimes to make a right turn with wide equipment, the driver must fade to the left.
Also, determine if the road is wide enough for you and the machinery to safely share and be sure there’s enough distance to pass.
Look for roadside obstacles such as mailboxes, bridges or road signs that may cause the machinery to move to the center of the road.
We all need to be focused on safety and paying attention to what we’re doing, whether it’s driving our car home from work or moving our planter from one field to another.
While we’re at it, let’s take a little time to comment on the value farmers and the businesses that supply and service their needs provide our community.
Farm work is certainly demanding, and the economies in managing a farm operation today are staggering. Some smaller farm families operate on margins so thin that one bad crop can lead to financial disaster.
Nevertheless, a significant number of Hoosiers are still willing to take on those challenges.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 Census of Agriculture, the number of farms in Jackson County dropped 10 percent from 827 in 2007 to 714 in 2012.
The land in farms in the county also dropped from 12 percent from 209,293 acres in 2007 to 183,878 and the average size of a farm fell 2 percent from 253 acres to 247. The overall market value of products sold in Jackson County also declined 6 percent from $196,943,000 to $184,443,000 in 2012.
On the plus side, however, the average farm produced $247,907 in the market value of products sold in 2012, up 4 percent from $238,141 in 2007. The average farm has a net income of $72,557.
Whatever the numbers mean, we join others in supporting Hoosier farmers here in Jackson County and across the state. They contribute to the social and economic fabric of our community.
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Farmers will soon start planting their fields.
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We all need to be focused on safety and paying attention to what we’re doing, whether it’s driving our car home from work or moving our planter from one farm field to another.
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What do you think? What’s your opinion on this topic? Send your comments to [email protected]. You can find copies of earlier editorials online at TribTown.com.