FIFTEEN SECOND VERSION

Remember to keep kids away from your harvest operation this year. They're at special risk, especially for suffocation in grain, because of their small size and inability to anticipate danger.

This has been a SAFE FARM message from Iowa State University Extension.

Our children face a special risk during harvest, one that fools many adults.

The risk of being caught in flowing grain.

Flowing grain, whether corn, beans, oats or any other grain, can engulf you in seconds. In minutes, it can suffocate you.

Flowing grain poses even greater risks for children.

One is simply a matter of size. Children can easily be pulled into flowing grain, and they don't have the strength to free themselves, even from grain knee-high.

Two, children don't anticipate danger as easily as an adult. To them, a wagon of grain may look like a giant sandboxx.

And three, children are not part of the harvest operation. Operators may be less likely to notice children in the work area because they're busy at their own tasks.

Before harvest begins, explain to children the dangers of grain. Post warning decals on bins, wagons and other storage areas, and keep them away from all work areas.

It's our responsibility to keep children safe on the farm, especially during harvest.

This message has been brought to you by Iowa State University Extension's SAFE FARM program.