By Julie Tomascik
Editor
A Texas farm family is once again looking to honor farmers and ranchers through the Texas Agriculture Memorial Day.
John Paul and Heather Dineen of Waxahachie have organized the memorial day and the annual ceremony since 2016. The idea for this event grew out of personal experience for the Dineens, who lost their son in a farm accident.
The fatal accident cultivated a legacy for the family—one of farm safety awareness and education. Their efforts led them to create the Texas Agriculture Memorial Day.
Each year, there is a nomination and application process to add names of honorees to the memorial through three categories—memorial, honor and memorial service.
The memorial list is for those who have lost their life while engaged in agricultural-related pursuits, such as working livestock, transporting agricultural goods and operating or in the vicinity of machinery.
The honor list is for those individuals who have had a severely debilitating accident—loss of eyesight or limb(s), paralysis or deafness—while engaged in agricultural-related pursuits.
Those who lost their life in a non-agricultural accident but had an active role in an agricultural operation are honored in the memorial service category. This includes individuals who farmed, ranched or had a career in agriculture but passed away due to natural causes or fishing and ATV accidents.
Nominations for the three categories are being accepted online.
More than 50 families have been honored since the inaugural ceremony held in 2016.
This year’s ceremony will be held at the Texas State Capitol on Nov. 21.
According to the Dineens, Texas Agriculture Memorial Day is a day to remember the lives of the state’s farmers and ranchers in their efforts to raise food, fiber and fuel for Texas and American families.
Details about Texas Agriculture Memorial Day can be found online at www.facebook.com/TexasAgricultureMemorialDay/.