It is as hot as it has been all year in the Midwest but it isn’t keeping farmers away from the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. At the show some Hoosier farmers learned something about CountryMark they didn’t already know. The Indiana company has an underground oil pipeline running through the state. Brad Parker and Craig Rasnake are at the show to illustrate what can happen when a farmer hits that pipeline.
“The farmer today is getting more and more heavy equipment such as excavators, track hoes, and their own tiling equipment, and we’re trying to get the message out to them that even though you’re farming you still have to call 811 before you dig for their safety and for the pipeline’s safety,” explained Parker.
There is a stark reminder at the CountryMark display of what can happen when the call before digging is never made. It’s a damaged piece of actual pipeline taken out by a farmer.
Rasnake says, “A gentleman went out to tile his field and didn’t call 811. He put the plow in the ground and started tiling and ran into our pipeline and damaged it. So we had to shut the line down and make the repairs on the line.”
Fortunately for the farmer he didn’t take out an 8 inch gas line that was just a few feet away. The message to call 811 here at the show is a simple one, but it will save you money when you make the call.
“He would have been fined from Indiana 811 for not making the call and he also got a bill from us for our downtime and having to repair the line,” said Parker.
Rasnake adds, “Call 811 48 hours before digging. If they call the utilities will come and locate their line.”
CountryMark representatives will also meet the farmer on the site to ensure the exact locates of their pipeline, and that visit is free.
Hear the full HAT interview:CountryMark 811 at Farm Progress