Contact: Richard Brzozowski, 207-780-4205, rbrz@umext.maine.edu

ORONO, ME-University of Maine Cooperative Extension and several farm equipment dealers have joined forces to offer free "Slow-Moving-Vehicle" (SMV) signs to Maine farmers this year. These bright signs-fluorescent orange triangles bordered with reflective red-are mounted on the rear of farm tractors and implements traveling slower than 25 miles per hour in order to warn motorists of the slow-moving vehicle. Farmers that would like to obtain a free SMV sign should contact UMaine Extension at 800-287-1471. Farmers will receive a coupon and safety packet about how to use the sign and about the use of tractors on public roads. Farmers can then pick up their sign or signs (up to two per farmer) at their nearest participating farm-equipment dealer before June 1.

Many Maine farmers and farm workers are moving equipment, livestock, hay and crops with tractors, and on public roads this can be a dangerous situation. The reflective border of the SMV sign defines the shape of the fluorescent color in daylight, and creates a hollow red triangle when illuminated by headlights at night.

Participating farm-equipment dealers include the following businesses:

Beauregard Equipment Inc.-Scarborough
Hammond Tractor-Auburn
Greenway Equipment Sales-Bangor
Greenway Equipment Sales-Ellsworth
Hall Implement Co.-Windham
Hammond Tractor-Union
Hammond Tractor-Fairfield
Ingraham Equipment Ctr.-Knox
Kramer's Inc.-Sidney
MPG Truck & Tractor-Presque Isle
RS Osgood & Sons-East Dixfield
Shaw's Ridge Equipment-Sanford
Theriault Equipment-Presque Isle
Union Farm Equipment-Union
Wallingford Equipment-Auburn
Waterman Farm Machinery Co., Inc.-Sabattus
Wescott & Sons-Gorham
-30-
 
For more than 90 years, University of Maine Cooperative Extension has supported UMaine's land-grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county.