The hazards of stray voltage are numerous for dairy facilities. Stray voltage poses an electrocution hazard to cows that can cause them to produce less milk, act nervous, resist eating and develop other health problems. Stray voltages can also cause a spike in the farm’s monthly electrical utility bill and create a fire hazard. State and national electrical code installation requirements help ensure safe and reliable operation of a farm’s electrical systems, but they do not prevent stray voltages from occurring. What Exactly is Stray Voltage? Electricity is most often supplied to a farm from a local electrical utility provider. The utility provider’s connection point near a farm has a grounding system. Electrical service on a farm also has its own grounding system. Each has primary grounding points, usually metal ground rods, where a small amount of electrical current is received from each electrical system’s main neutral wire. A neutral wire is responsible for keeping an electrica ...

March 8, 2012- Designated as "What's on My Plate?" Day by USDA MyPlate Partners In an article March 1, 2012 Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, released that almost 6,000 USDA partners are teaming up today for "What's on My Plate?" day as a way to heighten public awareness of the importance of choosing nutritious foods for a healthy meal. The 6,000 sponsors are part of the USDA's MyPlate Community and National Strategic Partners who have all committed to promote a diet that reflects the latest recommendations in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and highlights the message behind the new MyPlate food icon. "USDA is committed to helping Americans make healthier food choices and our MyPlate symbol is a simple reminder to think before we eat," said Vilsack. "Our public and private sector national partners represent an important cross-section of industry, advocates and academia pulling toward a common goal of improving the health our country through diet and in many cases reversing childhood obesity." ...

North Carolina ranks number one nationwide in the production of flue-cured tobacco and sweet potatoes; second in the growth of Christmas trees; third in the production of cucumber and strawberries; and, fourth in the production of upland cotton. Particularly during the planting and harvest seasons, dangerous situations may arise from slow moving agricultural machinery on the roadways. There has been an uptick in accidents on public roads in recent years that involved agricultural equipment for a multitude of reasons. There is an estimated sum of 52,500 Farms in North Carolina with total farmland size averaging a whopping 8.4 million acres. Notably, Banner Elk, Boone and West Jefferson, North Carolina is prominently known for its production of Fraser Fir Christmas Trees. Today's farms and ranches have increased in size, and land being farmed is often separated by longer distances. This means farm machinery has to be transported on public roads for further distances than in the past. The equipment itself is a ...