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Farm Safety and Health in Action: UMASH’s Latest Collaborations

MARCH 2025  In recent months, the UMASH team has been actively engaged in strengthening the health and safety of agricultural communities across the Upper Midwest, focusing on issues ranging from farm health, safety, and biosecurity to mental health support, farm safety education, and awareness. Through partnerships, outreach, and innovative research, …

Understanding Farmers’ Mental Health Challenges and Seeking Solutions

JANUARY 2025 Farming is more than just physically demanding—it can be mentally, emotionally, and financially challenging too. Farm families and rural communities navigate a complex web of financial, social, and environmental challenges, which can contribute to elevated rates of stress, anxiety, and depression. Recognizing the growing need to address …

Building Safer, Healthier Farms: From our Backyard to Beyond

NOVEMBER 2024  As fall unfolds, UMASH continues to advance agricultural health and safety through outreach, training, and collaboration across the Upper Midwest and beyond. Here’s a recap of how UMASH partnership, events and research is working to build safer, healthier farming communities in our backyard in the Upper Midwest and beyond. Cultivating …

Promoting Farm Safety and Health Through the Seasons

OCTOBER 2024  As summer transitions to fall, the UMASH team continues to promote the health and safety of farmers and their families throughout the changing seasons. Catch up on our recent activities from August and September, as the UMASH team supports agricultural communities in navigating seasons of change.  UMASH Team On the Move: Sharing Health …

And the Survey Says… FFA’ers share their thoughts on farm safety

SEPTEMBER 2024 FFA’ers share their farm safety knowledge, experiences, and beliefs at the 2023 FFA National Convention For the sixth year, UMASH and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety connected with future agriculture leaders at the 2023 FFA National Convention. Surveying over 900 students and 150 adults, …

Connecting, Learning, and Growing

AUGUST 2024 At UMASH, our goal to improve agricultural safety and health is fueled by meaningful connections, continuous learning, and growth. This summer, our team has collaborated with different agricultural groups across industries, attended international conferences, and shared insights at local safety events to help improve farm safety, health, …

Lights, Camera, Action for Ag Safety and Health!

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. …

Safeguard your farm: Protect you and your livestock from HPAI

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as “bird flu,” is a serious, highly contagious disease that is often fatal to chickens and turkeys. To prepare for the possible infection of flocks in the Upper Midwest, UMASH has prepared a toolkit to help poultry farmers enhance prevention with biosecurity protocols, identify the signs and symptoms of HPAI in birds, and stay connected to additional resources from USDA - APHIS and state departments of agriculture. …

SPOTLIGHT: Concentrating on Calves: Prep for a Safe and Successful Spring

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! …