Louisiana & Mississippi Farm Bureaus Host Grain Bin Entrapment & Rescue Training for Firefighters, Farmers, and Ag Workers Across North Louisiana
With grain entrapment and engulfment incidents posing a serious danger to farmers, first responders, and ag workers nationwide, Louisiana & Mississippi Farm Bureaus are teaming up to bring vital grain bin rescue and safety training to communities in Grant, Natchitoches, Caddo, and Morehouse Parishes March 3–6, 2026.
Grain bins can be deceptively dangerous — flowing grain behaves much like quicksand, and a person can sink knee-deep in flowing grain in a matter of seconds and be completely buried in less than 30 seconds if not rescued quickly. Once trapped, the pressure of the grain makes self-rescue extremely difficult, and many victims suffocate before help arrives.
Even in recent years, there have been dozens of documented grain entrapment incidents each year in the U.S., with many resulting in fatalities. In 2024 alone, at least 34 grain-related entrapments were recorded nationwide, underscoring that confined-space hazards like grain bins remain a leading cause of serious injury and death in agriculture.
2026 Training Schedule & Locations:
• Tuesday, March 3 — Brister Auctions, 15307 Hwy. 8, Colfax, LA 71417
Contact: Tina Ogaard, (318) 448-1691, togaard@sfbcic.com
(Register by 2/23/26 )
Hosted by Grant & Rapides Parish Farm Bureaus & Viserion Grain
• Wednesday, March 4 — Natchitoches Fair Grounds, 450 Fairgrounds Rd., Natchitoches, LA 71457
Contact: Brandi Procell, (318) 352-8111, bprocell@sfbcic.com
Hosted by Natchitoches Parish Farm Bureau
• Thursday, March 5 — Precision Ag Services, 13281 Hwy. 71, Gilliam, LA 71029
Contact: Kerri Staggs, (318) 524-5200, kstaggs@sfbcic.com
Hosted by Caddo Parish Farm Bureau
• Friday, March 6 — Morehouse Activity Center, 9555 Marlatt St., Bastrop, LA 71220
Contact: Tina Cameron, (318) 283-0200, tcameron@sfbcic.com
Hosted by Morehouse Parish Farm Bureau
Training Format:
• The first three evening sessions begin with supper at 5:30 p.m., with classroom instruction starting at 6:00 p.m. and the total program lasting roughly 2½–3 hours.
• The Bastrop session begins at 9:00 a.m. and concludes with lunch at noon.
• Each site will provide a meal for attendees and to prepare 150–250 bushels of corn and a grain bin panel for hands-on demonstrations.
The training — led by experts from the Mississippi Farm Bureau with assistance from local safety professionals — is designed primarily for volunteer and full-time firefighters, who are often first on the scene in a grain rescue. However, farmers and other agricultural workers are strongly encouraged to attend, as understanding grain bin hazards and prevention practices is crucial for saving lives and avoiding unnecessary tragedy.
“Grain bins pose very serious dangers,” said Louisiana Farm Bureau Safety Director, Wendell Miley. “Equipping first responders and farmers with proper rescue and safety knowledge can mean the difference between life and death.”
About Grain Bin Safety:
On average in the U.S., nearly two dozen people are killed each year in grain entrapment incidents, and many more are seriously injured. Around 80% of engulfment incidents occur when a person is inside a bin while grain-unloading equipment is running, emphasizing why lockout/tagout procedures and safety training are vital.