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SPOTLIGHT: Check Out Our Checklist – Take 5 Minutes to Save a Life

SEPTEMBER 2020 Farming is a dangerous occupation, and many communities may be extra vulnerable to COVID-19. If you live, work, or grew up on a farm, you probably know someone who was injured or died in a farming incident. Can’t think of anyone? You’re lucky. Imagine a world where no one got hurt or died from a farming-related incident. That world …

SPOTLIGHT: 76 Years of Farm Safety and Health – National Farm Safety and Health Week

SEPTEMBER 2020 If we reflect back in history to 1944, what do we remember? Many of us weren’t around at this time, but a google search of the year tells us the United States was fighting in WWII, the Smokey the Bear mascot was created and gasoline was 21 cents a gallon. Another piece of history from 1944 was the designation of National Farm Safety …

Get your Podcast Queue Ready: On air with AgCountry

SEPTEMBER 2020 Harvest is coming, get your podcast queue ready. Rural Perspectives Podcast, hosted by AgCountry Farm Credit Services, featured UMASH’s Megan Schossow to cover tips for a successful harvest this year. Rural Perspectives examines a diverse range of issues impacting agriculture and rural life, hosted in part by Adam Ulbricht who can be …

SPOTLIGHT: National Teach Ag Day 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020 The tenth annual National Teach Ag Day is on Thursday, September 17, 2020. National Teach Ag Day is designed to encourage others to teach school based agriculture and recognize the important role that agriculture teachers play in our schools and communities. UMASH and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health …

SPOTLIGHT: Sending you a Signal

SEPTEMBER 2020 Signals can convey many messages, such as STOP on the red light, emergency or distress (SOS) signals or a thumbs up emoji signaling a job well done. Signals can also provide effective communication on the farm. When working around large equipment or machinery, verbal communication between employees often is not possible. Workers must …

Billions and Billions (of microbes)

SEPTEMBER 2020 Dr. Peter Davies, BVSc, PhD is a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota and a principal investigator for the UMASH project: Longitudinal Study of Infectious Disease Risks at the Human Swine Interface. Dr. Davies and colleagues recently published an article in the National Hog Farmer addressing …

SPOTLIGHT: Be Safe and Smart Around Silage

Be Safe and Smart Around Silage Tracey Erickson South Dakota State University Extension August 24, 2020 As summer changes over to autumn, silage harvest is on the calendar for many dairy and livestock farmers. Farmers use corn silage as a source of nutrition for their herd as it provides a high-yielding, consistent source of forage. There are a number …

SPOTLIGHT: Extra Riders on Tractors are a High Risk for Fatality

SEPTEMBER 2020 Ever heard the phrase, “If one is good, two must be better?” Kids on and off the farm are often attracted to tractors and ask the driver to “ride along.” This may apply to many scenarios, but not so when it comes to tractors. Transportation incidents, which include tractor overturns, are the leading cause of death for farmers …

The Move to Virtual

Jeff Bender, DVM UMASH Director I’m missing seeing people in person. Yet, over the past few months, nearly all of our UMASH interactions are being handled virtually. We’ve successfully connected with our partners through a number of activities: We brought our mental health network and resources into a Public Health Institute course. Students developed …