Is your farm truly prepared for the unexpected? Join local producers on Tuesday, September 22, for a high-impact, hands-on workshop designed to safeguard your equipment, livestock, and livelihood.

Learn directly from fellow farmers and Extension Agents through practical machinery safety demos. Plus, NCDA&CS experts will unpack real-world lessons from Tropical Storm Chantal and guide you through risks like flooding and disease outbreaks. Best of all, you’ll begin building your custom Farm Emergency Plan on-site and get immediate, 1-on-1 feedback from emergency management pros. We will also share information on cost-share programs to help implement safety upgrades.

This event is FREE and includes dinner beginning at 5:00 P.M. Pre-register by Friday, September 18, at go.ncsu.edu/SafeFarms. You can also call 919-245-2050 to register over the phone.

Sponsors and presenters include Orange County Cooperative Extension, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services- Emergency Programs Division, and Orange County Farm Bureau.

Agenda:

• 5:00 P.M.- Welcome and Meal
• 5:30 P.M.- Presentation by NCDA&CS Emergency Programs. Staff will discuss common incidents that could affect farm operations and walk through some preparedness recommendations. Producers will walk through the NCDA&CS Farm Emergency Plan template with state and county staff and begin applying it to their own operations.
• 6:30 P.M. until: Farm Equipment Demonstrations and Discussions (tentative demos: Power Take-Off Demo, Hay Baler Safety, others)

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, N.C. Cooperative Extension will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Jonathon Smith, jonathon_smith@ncsu.edu, 919-245-2057. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event.