The National Corn Growers Association and the National Grain and Feed Foundation – the research and education arm of the National Grain and Feed Association – have unveiled a joint video project to promote awareness about grain bin safety on the farm.

The two organizations teamed up in November to develop the video in response to an increase in U.S. fatalities and injuries associated with entry into grain bins.

To view the video, visit www.NCGA.com, NCGA’s YouTube channel, or www.ngfa.org.

“In 2010 we saw a record number of farmers becoming engulfed in grain bins and we decided it was time to have a proactive role in creating awareness about the serious nature of this issue,” said Bart Schott, NCGA President and grower from Kulm, N.D.  “We hope that this video makes farmers stop and think twice before the next time they put themselves in danger.”

“Flowing grain can pose a life-threatening hazard, and statistics show that 92 percent of victims who become fully engulfed, which can happen in a matter of seconds, do not survive,” said Kendell W. Keith, NGFA President. “Our Foundation was very pleased to be part of this proactive, prevention-based approach by NCGA to save lives. And people need to become more aware of the hazards.”

Keith noted that the NGFF in 1998 had developed a video on prudent practices to prevent engulfment incidents in commercial grain-handling facilities – material that was updated when it produced a comprehensive new safety video for the industry in 2010. But until now, such an educational tool focused exclusively on farm bins did not exist.  

The new video, shot on location in several states, provides a wide range of information from prevention tips and background data on grain bin accidents. The project also involved interviews with professionals in the fields of grain bin safety research and rescue to provide as much information to viewers as possible.

The video is available at and will be encouraging its grain elevator members to distribute it to farmer-customers.