Women in agriculture are the queens of multi-tasking. Not just with household and farm duties, but outside responsibilities as well. It’s becoming more common for women to have a full-time job off the farm. So not only are they delivering lunches to men in the field, they’re cooking and cleaning while working a 40 hour week elsewhere.
Photo from eyewitnesstohistory.com
It’s been said that women are the “gatekeepers to safety” on the farm. With more and more farm wives choosing a career, what is the impact to safety if mom isn’t there all day anymore?
One farmer in Minnesota thinks it could have consequences. “One of the most dangerous things is when Mom works and leaves kids of all ages with Dad when he’s working on the farm.”
Obviously dads are just as concerned about their kids safety as moms. But often dads are the point person for the business. On any given day they’re getting pulled in 20 different directions. Apparently the farmer in Minnesota fears those responsibilities could potentially keep dad from supervising every second.
And then there’s the fact that farm accidents among youth has declined by nearly 60 percent since 1998.
Considering that figure takes into consideration there are fewer kids on farms now than there were in 1998 – one could say the trend of farm wives and mothers working off the farm has improved safety.
Possibly because if mom works “outside the home” the kids are in daycare, removing them from the dangers on the farm.
We want to hear from moms – who work both on and off the farm. What do you think?
The Next Generation: Farm Safety and Health 