WATCHED STATION, THIS IS WCCO 4
NEWS.
LOW THANKS FOR WATCHING
WCCO , NOW STREAMING ON CBSN
MINNESOTA.
THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE IS HOPING FARMERS
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NEW PROGRAM
DISTASTE SAFE.
LAST YEAR, 18-YEAR-OLD LANDON
ROD DIED INSIDE A GRAIN BEEN.
HE WAS SET TO BEGIN HIS SENIOR
YEAR AT ST. PETER HIGH SCHOOL.
SINCE THEN, HIS MOTHER
MICHELLE, HAS BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR MORE SAFETY MEASURES ON
MINNESOTA FARMS.
LAST SPRING, A PROGRAM WAS
CREATED THAT WILL GIVE MONEY TO
FARMERS TO MAKE SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS.
JOHN LAURITSEN'S SHOWS US WHY
LAWRENCE MOTHER HOPES IT'S ONLY
THE BEGINNING.
IT WAS A MOTHER'S LOVE,
MOTHER'S MISSION.
Reporter: A YEAR AGO, 18-
YEAR-OLD LANDON KROG DINA
NEIGHBORS GRAIN BEEN AFTER
GETTING CAUGHT.
SINCE THEN HIS MOTHER MICHELLE,
HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE
SURE ANOTHER FARM FAMILY
DOESN'T EXPERIENCE A SIMILAR
LOSS.
PRETTY HARD TO HAVE THAT
EMPTY SPACE AT YOUR FARM TABLE.
AND IN YOUR LIFE, FOR THE REST
OF YOUR LIFE.
Reporter: MICHELLE'S
FAMILIES ENGRAVING ALONE, LAST
YEAR BETWEEN JUNE AND DECEMBER,
NINE PEOPLE DIED FROM FARM
ACCIDENTS IN MINNESOTA.
WE JUST DON'T WANT ANOTHER
FATALITY TO HAPPEN, AND SO WE
WANTED THIS TO BE THE LAST ONE
Reporter: PATRICE ALIEN IS A
COMMISSIONER FOR THE MINNESOTA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
HE SAYS LAWMAKERS LISTEN SOME
MISSED SALES FAMILY AND OTHERS
LAST SPRING AND CREATE A
PROGRAM THAT WOULD REIMBURSE
FARMERS WHO MAKE SAFETY
UPGRADES TO GRAIN BINS OR
SILOS.
SINCE WE LAUNCHED IT LAST
TUESDAY WE HAD 25 PEOPLE SEND
IN APPLICATION SO FAR.
Reporter: THE PROGRAM
REIMBURSES FARMERS UP TO 75
PERCENT OF THE COST TO BUY AND
INSTALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
THAT INCLUDES EQUIPMENT THAT
CAN PREVENT FALLS, DUST
COLLECTION SYSTEMS THAT HELP
WITH AIR QUALITY, TECHNOLOGY
THAT A FARMER CAN WEAR TO
PREVENT AUGER ACCIDENTS.
JUST LIKE SIMILAR TO AN
APPLE WATCH, THAT YOU CAN
ACTUALLY STOP THE AUGER FROM
THE INSIDE.
Reporter: MICHELLE HOPES IT
IS JUST THE START.
TO WAIT UNTIL AN ACCIDENT
HAPPENS ISN'T THE TIME TO GO
AND SAY DARN IT, I SHOULD HAVE
APPLIED..
Reporter: JOHN LAURITSEN,
WCCO 4 NEWS.
THE PROGRAM WILL
ESSENTIALLY REIMBURSE FARMERS
