Caution Urged To Farmers Working On Big Corn Crop

CLEAR LAKE (AP) -- Safety advocates are urging Minnesota farmers to be cautious around storage bins and elevators when working on this year's corn crop.

Adam Czech, spokesman with the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, says the state's corn harvest could reach 1.34 billion bushels this year, which would be the second largest in history.

Dan Martens, educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service in Benton County, says there's more stress and longer days with a bigger crop and that increases the risk of accidents.

Czech advises farmers to take their time when working on the harvest.

Farming is frequently ranked as one of the world's most dangerous professions, and one of the leading causes of farm deaths and serious injury is grain bin accidents.