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SPOTLIGHT: Doing Good: Minnesota Millennial Farmer Fundraises for Farm Safety

JANUARY 2021 “We wanted to do good with our platform,” said Minnesota Millennial Farmer, Zach Johnson, after he and his wife raised $60,000 to prevent grain bin incidents. The Upper Midwest has been a hotspot for tragic grain and silo incidents in recent years. Several incidents kept the topic top of mind for the farm vlogger. Johnson has recently …

SPOTLIGHT: Farm Tools for Women and the Importance of “Hergonomics”

JANUARY 2021 Farming is a dangerous and physically demanding job no matter your gender or body type. Even though women are very capable of running farming equipment, they find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to these tools. Built with a taller, stronger male farmer in mind, most farming equipment presents a higher risk of injury for women. …

SPOTLIGHT: Coaching Methods to Improve Ag Employee Performance

DECEMBER 2020 A productive and positive work environment is integral to the success of any operation, and understanding how to achieve that is just as important. Luckily there are many resources to help develop the skill sets needed to coach effectively and cultivate a prosperous work environment. Tracey Erickson, a Dairy Field Specialist at the South …

Reminiscing on the UMASH Expo

DECEMBER 2020 In lieu of the usual schedule of summer farm shows, we connected and caught up with the agricultural community at the UMASH Online Expo this year in August. The UMASH Online Expo: A 20/20 Look at Ag Health, Safety and Wellness featured three days of live demos and health and safety talks, which now live on thanks to UMASH Collaborator, …

SPOTLIGHT: Practice Physical Distancing on the Farm

DECEMBER 2020 The recent news is overflowing with the approval and distribution of the COVID -19 vaccine. Coverage of the UPS and FedEx trucks leaving the warehouse, the first people to receive the vaccine and the elated healthcare workers dancing in the street showcase the excitement. It is a welcome sign of hope for what is to come. With all that …

Farm Safety Check: Preventing Building Fires

Fires pose serious threats to the wellbeing of livestock and humans. Farms have many flammable materials, such as pesticides, cobwebs, dust, bedding, hay, straw, paint, fertilizer, and paper. In the winter, additional threats to safety include the physical distance from farms to the closest fire station, poor road conditions, windy conditions that can intensify the fire, heating equipment, rodent bedding, and damaged wires and cords. Given these farm hazards, prevention is key. Take a moment today to save a life tomorrow. …

UMASH’s Best Kept Secret

DECEMBER 2020 UMASH’s best kept secret is a secret no more! In our #UMASHResearchers social media campaign, we highlighted four of our researchers: Pete Raynor PhD, Joni Scheftel DVM MPH, Casper Bendixsen PhD, and Carrie Klumb MPH. The purpose of the social media campaign was to highlight the researchers and the novel, innovative work they do to promote …

SPOTLIGHT: Was that a part of the plan?

NOVEMBER 2020 As we wrap up harvest, plans are being made for 2021. While we do not hope for any disasters, now is the time to plan for one. Shay Foulk is an agronomist, agricultural business and safety consultant, and seed producer in Sparland, IL. He has worked with farmers and agri-businesses to develop and implement safety emergency response plans, …

Be Prepared

Jeff Bender, DVM UMASH Director We often “live in the moment” and sometimes forget to plan or strategize for the future. The current pandemic has reminded me of the value and need for planning and being prepared. We can’t anticipate all contingencies but if we engage others, together we can better understand the challenges and issues ahead. Now …

SPOTLIGHT: Looking for the right tool? UMASH has you covered.

DECEMBER 2020 Ever heard the phrase, “use the right tool for the job?” If you’re in a hands-on occupation, using the right tool is important to do the job right. Farming is an occupation full of opportunities and challenges. Recent years have presented new and old challenges for the agricultural community: low commodity prices, machinery setbacks, …