Recent drought conditions have caused crops to mature more quickly than usual, triggering an early harvest season.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Ergonomist Meaghan Anderson tells Raccoon Valley Radio this can cause more challenges than usual, “The first hazard is that we’re really dry. So any time when we’re out in crop fields, especially if the crop dry down and we’ve got equipment running through it, in a lot of cases this year we’re going to be pulling a lot more material into our combines than we would in a normal year. So there’s always the chance that there could be a field fire or an equipment fire that could start. So we want to make sure that people have a working fire extinguisher on their equipment and that they know how to use them.”

Other hazards Anderson wants farmers to keep in mind include the increased possibility of equipment plugs. Anderson adds that harvest season also means farm vehicles are likely to be out and about on the roads. She recommends keeping an extra eye out for the machinery as they can pose a danger if you’re not paying attention.