Agriculture is one of the most dangerous professions out there. Farm injuries can be dramatic, like a tractor accident or a run-in with large livestock; they can also be subtle, like getting a muscle or joint strain from overuse, or being ill for weeks with Lyme disease from a tick bite.
No matter the cause, injuries and accidents on the farm can have severe financial consequences if a plan isn’t in place to keep things running smoothly. Profit margins on farms are generally very thin, and the timing of most farm tasks is critical to success. If the farm manager is the only one who knows how to operate a vital piece of equipment, what happens while they recover from an injury? The window of opportunity for planting or harvesting crops might pass and valuable income might be lost.
One key action to reduce the impact of injuries is to make sure that other farm workers and family members are trained on farm equipment, practices, and livestock handling. Even if they never need to use the knowledge, having the farmer’s spouse, children, and/or employees up to date on the most important practices will bring peace of mind if the farmer is sidelined after an injury or accident.
Another helpful practice is to make sure the farm has the funds available to pay for the extra labor needed in case of an injury. Farmers often wait to pay themselves until all other expenses are dealt with, or forego their pay during lean times. However, this can be problematic if the farmer is injured and an employee needs to work extra hours. If the farm has the funds available for extra labor, the impact of an accident or injury can be lessened.
It’s difficult to think about how serious an accident or injury can be on the family farm, but proper planning will ensure that the farm avoids the worst consequences of such an event.
Let AgriLegacy help keep your family farm in the family.
