MARCH 2025 

Here’s a recap of how UMASH’s collaborative efforts are working to create safer, healthier farming communities.

Farm Health, Safety, and Biosecurity

As avian influenza outbreaks continue to impact dairy and poultry farms, UMASH has partnered with the MCN Clinicians Network and the National Center for Farmworker Health to keep farmworkers and clinicians informed. In a recent webinar, UMASH Center Director and Associate Director, Dr. Jeff Bender and Amy Liebman joined Dr. Laszlo Madaras (MCN) to discuss H5N1 during influenza season. The team shared the latest strategies to stay safe and stop the spread of avian flu and influenza for those working in dairy and poultry industries.

Watch the full recorded session here: Bird Flu & Farmworkers: An Update on H5N1 During Influenza Season.

Exploring Emerging Agricultural Risks

In December 2024, UMASH team members Dr. Bender, Outreach Director and Center Coordinator Megan Schossow, and Senior Communications Manager and Evaluation Specialist Cassie Edlund attended the Minnesota Department of Health’s 9th Annual Emerging Issues Forum, where they discussed key challenges like avian flu, heat stress, and health access in agricultural communities. The team participated in critical conversations about how these issues affect both farmworkers and farmers, and the steps we can take to improve safety and health in these environments.

Firefighter Safety and Agricultural Housing:

In December 2024, UMASH’s RF-DASH – Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety project teams teamed up with the National Center for Farmworker Health to host a webinar focused on farmworker housing standards and emergency response strategies. The session was designed for firefighters and first responders, giving them a better understanding of farmworker housing and how to improve incident prevention, reduce property loss, and better engage with agricultural communities in emergency preparedness.

Farmers’ Mental Health: Seeking Solutions:

Farming is more than just physically demanding. It can be mentally, emotionally, and financially challenging too. Recognizing the growing need to address this issue and provide resources, UMASH research project teams are leading an innovative research project to better understand farmers’ mental health.

To better understand farmers’ mental health support needs, researchers from Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, and South Dakota State University are seeking farmers in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to share their experiences in one-hour interviews via phone or Zoom.

Learn more or schedule an interview.

Airborne Viruses & Bacteria in Animal Ag:

At the 2025 Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease in Chicago this January, UMASH’s research team presented their initial findings on the transmission of airborne viruses and bacteria in animal agriculture.  The team presented on comparing environmental and personal air sampling methods for microbiome analysis of samples collected on farms.

Telling the Story Project: Using Real-Life Stories to Prevent Farm Injuries

In February 2025, the Telling the Story Project team released their 15th story: Eric’s story, which shares about a veterinarian who survived near-fatal cattle chute injuries. 

Telling the Story project is a collaboration between three agricultural safety and health centers funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) — the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety – as well as the National Farm Medicine Center.

Farm Safety in the Classroom: Conversations for a Safer Tomorrow

Megan Schossow partnered with Cassie Edlund to launch the 5th year of UMASH’s collaboration with University of Minnesota students. This year, U of M CFANS students in Agricultural Education, Communication, and Marketing worked to create short, impactful public service announcements (PSAs) focused on farm safety and health.

Check out last year’s winning PSAs here: Lights, Camera, Action for Ag Safety and Health.

Growing Wellness and Awareness

In February 2025, UMASH participated in Ag Safety Awareness Program Week (ASAP Week). American Farm Bureau Federation’s Ag Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) Week was created to bring awareness to safety and health issues facing the agriculture industry.

Alongside the U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers, Farm Bureau is working to help keep agricultural communities safe and healthy by encouraging farmers and ranchers to keep safety top-of-mind with this year’s theme: “Planting Safely, Growing Wellness.” From youth safety, disaster preparedness, and grain bin safety, each day UMASH highlighted safety resources to support health, safety and wellness on farms for families and communities.

Explore the Latest Resources and Publications from UMASH

Health and Safety Training for Immigrant Dairy Workers in the Upper Midwest

Journal of Dairy Science – Vázquez R, Charlier D, Peterson C, Kirsch J, Liebman A, Bender J. 

H5N1: Stay Safe and Help Stop the Spread

UPDATED TOOLKIT NOW AVAILABLE!

H5N1 (bird flu) continues to spread among dairy herds and poultry flocks. While the risk to the general public is low, those who work with infected animals or their byproducts (like raw milk), such as dairy and poultry workers, are at higher risk of getting sick from the virus.

UMASH has prepared a toolkit with resources from UMASH and our farm safety and health partners to learn what farmers, farm workers, and clinicians can do to help prevent the spread of bird flu and stay safe.