Heads up drivers
There’s a #BrakeForHarvest public service announcement campaign for the current harvest season, warning drivers to use extra caution while driving through agricultural areas where harvest machinery and crews are busy working.
“On behalf of our growers, harvest crews and ag partners, we’d like to remind rural residents that while our ag workers follow strict food, farm and harvest zone safety standards, you also play a critical role in harvest worker safety on our roads,” Holloway writes on the campaign webpage at hollowayag.com/brakeforharvest.
“September and October will be a busy time on our farms, and our rural roads are dusty and bustling with farm crews and harvest machinery. Harvest season also coincides with our children going back to school, so please slow down while driving in agricultural areas, put your phones down while driving, pay extra attention when crossing intersections or busy harvest zones, and let’s keep all of our farm workers, residents and children safe out there.”
The concept for the PSA campaign came about while Holloway Ag Operations Manager Alex Parson was driving across the Central Valley enroute to an orchard removal project he was managing, when he noticed heavy equipment operators having a hard time making the turn on to a ranch while residents on a busy street sped past dangerously.
“Harvest is a busy time of year for our growers and their harvest crews,” Parsons said. “There’s dust in a lot of areas. The trailers, heavy machinery and harvesting equipment aren’t made for the roads. They’re made for harvest, on our local farms.
“A lot of this equipment is oversized, and slow on the road, so we’re hoping the campaign helps increase driver awareness and improves harvest crew safety during this busy time of year.”
Holloway asks those in the agriculture industry and beyond to reshare and support the #BrakeForHarvest campaign during the harvest season running through October.
Social media followers and other ag vendors are welcome visit hollowayag.com/brakeforharvest for more information and to download #BrakeForHarvest logos, example social media posts, and photos of harvest machinery moving on our local roadways.
Good luck to all of our growers and thank you to all of our harvest crews and partners this harvest season. Be safe out there!