Outreach & Education


UPCOMING EVENT: A Community Lead Instructor Training for the Tractor Safety Certification will be held August 5, 2010 at Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs, AR. Email agcenter@uthct.edu to register before July 30th.

The Pesticide Safety Education Workshop received the Outstanding Program Award from the Texas Rural Health Association. This 4-hour highly participatory workshop introduces several teaching tools for pesticide safety education and gives promotores the opportunity to exhibit skills and knowledge transfer through group presentations.

Livestock Handling Workshop
The SW Ag Center partnered with Dr. Ron Gill from Texas AgriLife Extension to host a Livestock Handling Workshop on December 19th at the East Texas Fairgrounds in Tyler, Texas. Dr. Gill demonstrated safe handling techniques to utilize with cattle and horses. About 35 people from East Texas attended the workshop. Participants commented on how much learned from Dr. Gill. We hope to plan another workshop in the near future.

Tractor Safety Certification:
Did you know...? According to the US Department of Labor, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to operate a tractor unless they are certified by an accredited program or on their own family farm.

The SW Ag Center and Dr. Bob Williams from Texas A&M Commerce have conducted numerous workshops and certifed over 90 people as Community Lead Instructors in the National Safe Tractor & Machinery Operation Program. These Cooperative Extension Agents and Ag Science Teachers can now teach and certify youth, 14 and 15 years old, to operate a tractor and implement for employment. This program could also be used to teach a person of any age to operate a tractor and implement safely. Click here to view the Youth Tractor Fact Sheet.

Click here for more information about the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program.

What Can We Do For YOU? The SW Ag Center serves a five state region through projects and programs that target areas of potential risk in agricultural industries. However, we not only target agricultural workers, but also their families. Education and outreach programs offered through the Center include:

  • Animal Handling Safety
  • Bites, Stings & Venomous Things
  • Environmental Safety
  • Farm Safety
  • Grain Safety
  • Livestock Safety
  • Tractor & Machinery Safety
  • Pesticide & Chemical Safety

We also offer programs for Farm Safety Days.