2025 Pennsylvania Farm Fatal Injury Summary

Number of farm fatalities

In 2025, there were 18 known agricultural fatalities in Pennsylvania. This number is one less known fatality compared to 2024.

The victims in 2025 were from 13 counties with at least one fatality across the state, while three counties saw more than one death: Lancaster (3), Butler (2), and Franklin (3).

Victim Demographics

Over a third of the victims (39%) were between the ages of 45 and 64, while over a quarter (28%) were aged 65 and over (table 1). Over 8 in 10 victims were male (83%). An estimated 31% of the victims were from the Anabaptist community. The higher rate of fatalities among men is similar to previous years of agricultural fatalities in Pennsylvania and consistent with national-level data. Notably, the distribution differed from prior years, with a higher proportion of fatalities among middle-aged individuals and lower rates among the youngest children.

Types of fatalities

In 2025, over three-quarters (78%) of the victims were actively working at the time of injury (paid or unpaid). All but one regularly worked on the farm (i.e., this category generally includes farmers, farm workers, and family members). Eleven percent were non-workers, and all were children under the age of 10. Meanwhile, 6% of the fatal injuries were related to a roadway collision with a tractor.

Event(s) that led to fatal injuries

We had enough information about the events leading to the injury for 17 out of the 18 fatalities (figure 1). Off-road and industrial vehicles continue to be the leading source of fatalities in Pennsylvania, as almost half (47%) of the fatalities involved this type of equipment. These events included tractor rollovers (2 fatalities) followed by other tractor incidents (1), skid steer rollovers (2), being struck by skid steers or forklifts (2), and an ATV crash (1). The next most frequent types of events were due to compression or contact with equipment, objects, or buildings. Over one third (35%) of the fatalities occurred this way, including being struck, crushed, or trapped by a piece of machinery (3), silo collapse (1), and tree/limb falls (2). There were three other types of events that led to a fatal injury, including a horse kick (1), silo gas (1), and a roadway incident involving a tractor (1).

How the report was compiled

This annual report was compiled using media reports and information from partners around the state. These data sources were cross-referenced and checked for duplication and non-farming incidents. Established classification schemes were used to classify the types of fatalities and events related to these fatalities, namely the Farm and Agricultural Injury Classification (FAIC) Codes (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 2020; Murphy et al., 1993) and the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) Manual (Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d.).

Help us make sure the Pennsylvania Farm Fatality Report is accurate

While we do our best to identify all fatalities, we recognize that some fatalities may be missing. This is particularly the case as newspapers, which have been a primary source of information, have decreased in number in rural areas. If you know of any fatality that might not be listed, or want to confirm that one is, please reach out to the lead author of this report: Florence Becot (florence.becot@psu.edu or 814-865-1783).

Resources to keep everyone safe on the farm

The Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health program was established in 1976 with the mission of supporting the health, safety, and well-being of agricultural communities through research, extension, and teaching. Among others, the resources that we offer include almost 200 articles and videos on Penn State’s Extension website covering a wide range of topics, presentations for farm-related events, individualized farm safety assistance by phone, email, or in-person, safe equipment and machinery operation training for youth through the National Safety Tractor and Operation Program, and the Farm Incident Preparedness Program. We also have a quarterly newsletter to share seasonally relevant agricultural safety and health information. Do not hesitate to reach out, we are here to help and we are always happy to partner: AgSafety@psu.edu or 814-865-4582.

References

American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. (2020). Farm and Agricultural Injury Classification (FAIC) Code. In ASAE S575.3. St. Joseph, Ml.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Occupational Injury and Illness Classification (OIICS) Manual.

Murphy, D., Purschwitz, M., Mahoney, B., & Hoskin, A. (1993). A proposed classification code for farm and agricultural injuries. American Journal of Public Health, 83(5), 736-738. doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.83.5.736