For the fourth year running, UMASH teams up with University of Minnesota students. These College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Agricultural Education, Communication and Marketing students create short, impactful public service announcements (PSAs) focused on farm safety and health. Agriculture can be a dangerous job, but farm injuries, illness, disease, and fatalities on the farm can be prevented. Working around hazards like grain bins, ATVs, heavy machinery, and chemicals poses serious risks, some of which can be life-threatening or even fatal. Farmers and workers can also face other dangers that may not be as obvious, including zoonotic disease and stress/mental health concerns. One effective way to spread awareness and empower individuals is through short, attention-grabbing videos. Continuing the project for its fourth year, UMASH partnered with Dr. Troy McKay to organize a PSA contest for students enrolled in Advanced Video Production for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (AECM 4432), a course is part of the Agricultural Education, Communications, and Marketing program within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. For the contest, students create one-minute PSAs that serve as engaging and educational tools to raise awareness and empower individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent injuries and illness on the farm. Guided by UMASH's expertise and Dr. McKay's mentorship, students channeled their creativity and put their media skills to the test to advocate for a safer and healthier future for agriculture. Student participants focused on topics like farm equipment safety, rural roadway safety, mental health, and more. "I really liked this video contest. I think the principles behind it were empowering, and I felt I was serving a greater purpose," said one student participant, highlighting the impact of the real-world application of safety and health messaging in media. Another shared, "I think sharing information on this topic is important, so it felt that my video is making an impact!" Two videos were recognized as contest winners and received a University of Minnesota bookstore gift card and a feature in UMASH communications channels. …

Spring is a season of renewal, and a busy time for farmers, farmworkers, and agricultural communities. It is a welcome relief from the long Upper Midwest winter and marks the arrival of new calves and the beginning of the growing season. To ensure the health of the herd and workers, keep safe animal handling and disease prevention procedures in mind. Prioritizing health and safety during this time can help support your operation's success and sustainability for years to come. Our ag health and safety partners have been diligently sharing information about how to have a safe calving season this year. Read on for more! …

Manure is a valuable resource for crop production. However, as manure decomposes, invisible gases are released, which can be deadly. Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is particularly dangerous. In addition, there can be an increased release of such gasses during manure agitation. This is especially true when manure slurry contains sulfur compounds from gypsum bedding, poor water quality, or other sources. Read on for information about work at Pennsylvania State University to increase awareness of these dangers and guidelines for preventing injury or death around manure storage. …

The National Farm Medicine Center Year (NFMC) recently published their Year in Review, and NFMC and UMASH researchers Casper Bendixsen and Florence Becot contributed to an article on "Automation, Climate Change, and the Future of Farm Work: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Studying Dynamic Changes in Agricultural Health and Safety." UMASH shares some highlights of their collaboration and recent work. …