Youth and beginning farmers in west central Nebraska will have several opportunities this spring and summer to participate in annual tractor and equipment safety training through the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health and Nebraska Extension.
The 2026 Annual Tractor and Equipment Safety Course will be offered at locations across Nebraska during May and June, including stops in North Platte, McCook, Lexington and Holdrege.
Course instructor Aaron Yoder, associate professor with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said the training is designed to help participants recognize hazards and develop safe habits around agricultural machinery.
Tractors and farm equipment remain leading sources of serious injury and fatalities in agriculture, particularly for young and beginning producers.
The two-day course provides certification through the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, which allows 14- and 15-year-olds to legally operate certain farm equipment under a federal exemption. Federal law generally restricts youth under 16 from operating certain farm machinery unless working on a farm owned by a parent or legal guardian.
Participants earn certification by completing both a written exam and driving test.
Day one includes instruction on machinery safety, emergency response, stop-the-bleed techniques, personal protective equipment and other lifesaving skills.
Day two features a hands-on driving exam, equipment operation training and ATV safety lessons. Students practice hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course, while also learning safe practices and legal guidelines for ATVs, utility task vehicles and other off-road vehicles.
The two-day course costs $60 and includes educational materials, online learning access if applicable, supplies, lunch and snacks.
Youth younger than 14 may attend day one with an adult but are not eligible to drive equipment, participate in day two or receive certification. Those students must register but can attend at no charge.
New and beginning farmers interested in improving farm safety knowledge are also encouraged to participate.
Area training dates include May 26 and 27 at the Lincoln-Logan-McPherson County Extension Office in North Platte, May 28 and 29 at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds 4-H Building in McCook, June 23 and 24 at the Dawson County Fairgrounds in Lexington, and June 25 at the Phelps County Fairgrounds in Holdrege.
A virtual module is also available for those attending locations offering only day one, or for participants living 50 miles or more from a full two-day training site.
Registration and additional information are available through the CS-CASH website. Questions can be directed to Ellen Duysen at UNMC.