Tractor safety classes will be offered by Midway Extension District, Cottonwood Extension District, Post Rock Extension District, River Valley Extension District, Central Kansas Extension District.

This summer, thousands of Kansas teenagers will begin their first job working for a farmer or rancher. For those who are 14 or 15, they must complete a tractor safety course to be legally employed. A 13-year-old may enroll in the training if turning 14 before the next year’s class is offered, but the certificate will not be issued until their 14th birthday.

To help prepare some of those youth for the upcoming work season, the Midway district, along with the collaboration of the Cottonwood Extension District, will be hosting an in-person tractor safety class April 22 at 8:15 a.m. at the Russell 4-H Building, 702 Fairway Dr., Russell.

This course will meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hazardous Occupations Order for Agriculture. HOOA regulations state that youth 14 and 15 years old who want to work as a hired employee for someone other than a parent or legal guardian and operate a farm tractor that is 20 HP or greater must successfully pass a tractor safety training program.

Cost of the program is $15 to cover the materials. Those wanting to enroll should complete the “Tractor Safety Registration Form” at https://bit. ly/2023TractorSafety. Enrollment is due by Friday, April 14, for the Russell location.

Other tractor safety courses will be held April 29 in Beloit at Carrico Implement and May 25 in Salina at Great Plains Manufacturing.

Prospective students can check availability and ask questions prior to registering by calling or emailing the following: Craig Dinkel (Russell) at cadinkel@ ksu.edu Clinton Laflin at cllaflin@ksu. edu or (785) 472-4442 Alicia Boor at aboor@ksu.edu or (620) 793-1910 Blair Todd (Beloit) at blairet@ksu.edu or (785) 738-3597 Kaitlyn Hildebrand at khildebrand@ ksu.edu or (785) 243-8185 Justine Henderson (Salina) jwh04@ksu.edu or (78) 392-2147 Jay Wisbey at jwisbey@ksu.edu or (78) 309-5850

Craig Dinkel is the Crop Production and Horticulture Agent in the Midway Extension District.