Decorah Area Chamber members contribute to the "Stay Safe, Take a Break" project to keep area farmers safe

During the harvest season the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee will travel the countryside in the northeast quadrant of Winneshiek County to distribute bags filled with provisions to every field worker they find. The bags will have everything from pop/water to first-aid kits, work gloves to homemade cookies and much more, all donated by Chamber member businesses.

DACC Director of Operations Rachel Huisman states, "Weather permitting, we will distribute the bags on Thursday, October 18th.  Our goal is to stop the farmers while they are working and remind them to take care of themselves during the harvest season."

The Stay Safe Take a Break project began in 2004 in an effort to help fight farmer fatigue and keep workers safe in Winneshiek County during the fall harvest season. The program was designed to be implemented over a four-year period with 200 bags delivered each year in a different quadrant of Winneshiek County. The program is now in its 14th year and making its third round of distribution around the county.