PAF Safety Coordinator Spotlight: Dave Barnard
For Dave Barnard of Beatrice, Nebraska, teaching children about safety has been a commitment spanning nearly five decades.
Dave began teaching agricultural education in 1978, incorporating mechanics, tractor, and livestock safety into his lessons. In 1981, he partnered with the Nuckolls County, Nebraska Extension Service to begin hosting a “Farm Safety Day” for third- and fourth-grade students. Years later, a fellow agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor introduced him to the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF) and its Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® (PAF Safety Day) program.
In 1998, Dave officially became a PAF Coordinator, beginning a relationship with the Foundation that has now spanned nearly three decades. As of the end of 2025, PAF records show that Dave coordinated 20 PAF Safety Days, reaching 3,982 individuals along the way. While the numbers help illustrate his impact, they are not what stands out most to Dave. For him, “each one is so special.”
When Dave moved to Gage County in 2011, he saw a need for the program and continued his commitment there. Today, he offers a school-based PAF Safety Day every other year for third- and fourth-grade students from six schools. He has also supported fellow PAF Coordinators throughout the years and continues to enjoy serving as a safety presenter.
After decades of teaching safety, Dave understands that the true impact of prevention can be difficult to measure. While numbers can capture students reached, volunteers involved, and hours invested, he believes the more important question is, “Did I make a difference?”
“I hope to never see one of my little ones in the newspaper regarding a rural safety situation,” Dave said. He also encourages children to share what they learn with their parents, siblings, and relatives, extending the impact of a PAF Safety Day beyond the event itself.
Dave’s longstanding commitment to PAF and rural youth safety was recently recognized when he was named a 2025 recipient of the Bernard Geschke Volunteer Service Award. The award honors PAF Coordinators who have dedicated more than two decades of volunteer service to the program. The recognition holds an additional connection for Dave, as Geschke was part of his own early experiences with PAF, including a coordinator training Dave hosted in his hometown of Superior, Nebraska.
From hosting his first Farm Safety Day in 1981 to becoming a PAF Coordinator in 1998 and continuing to educate Nebraska youth today, Dave has dedicated much of his career to helping children and families make safer choices. Nearly five decades after he began teaching agricultural education, his dedication to keeping the next generation safe remains at the heart of his work.