Jack Hatch: Farm Safety Is No Joke

Press Release

Jack Hatch said a Governor should be focused on promoting farm safety during harvest and not making offensive jokes that play on the tragedies all too common with farm machinery.

Monday, Terry Branstad opened his presentation to a rural audience with the following "joke":

​"Do you know how many lawyers it takes to grease a combine? Only one but you gotta feed him in real slow."

Hatch said the attempt at humor was offensive and sickening for families who have lost a loved one in a farm machinery accident. "Farm work is more dangerous in terms of risk of injury than any other sector of Iowa's economy, and my message to Terry Branstad is, safety is no laughing matter," Hatch said.

Friends of a Plymouth County farmer killed in a tragic and deadly accident last week organized a "harvest bee" to pull in the crop for the farmer's family.

Hatch said 4th District Congressional Candidate Jim Mowrer, speaks on the campaign trail about the farm accident that killed his father. "Jim Mowrer and I agree candidates need to be focused on the real issues facing Iowans and not wasting time making offensive jokes about such a tragic matter."

"The University of Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is working to create a culture of safety on the farm, and that's the direction we should be headed -- when I'm Governor we will put safety first." Hatch said.

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