Report: 34 Deaths On Indiana Farms Last Year

There are fewer farming operations in Indiana, leading to fewer farm deaths, a new Purdue University report finds.

(West Lafayette, Ind.) - A new Purdue University report shows that farming-related fatalities in Indiana continue to decline.

There were 34 work-related, on-farm deaths in 2018, according to the annual Indiana Farm Fatality Summary by Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program. The report gathers data from news reports, web searches, personal interviews, and voluntary reporting from extension offices.

Since the data collection started in 1970, fatalities have been declining, averaging about 27 per year.

Although the number of deaths has declined, it may not be solely because farming operations are safer. The report mainly attributes the decline to the fact that there are fewer farming operations today than in years past.

“While it is encouraging that the overall work-related on-farm deaths continues to decline, this report emphasizes that farm safety is still a relevant issue and corroborates with the Indiana Department of Labor that classified agriculture as one of Indiana’s most hazardous occupations,” said Bill Field, a Purdue professor of agriculture and biological engineering and Extension safety specialist.

Forty-four percent of the farming deaths last year involved a tractor. Those are frequently on small farms.

“Small farms often use older, less safe machinery and are exposed to more hazards compared to larger operations using newer machinery with advanced safety precautions,” Field said.