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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. …

Partnering for Progress in Agricultural Safety and Health

At UMASH, collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Catch up on how UMASH is partnering to promote the health and safety of farmers, workers, and their families around topics like cannabis at work, emergency medical services, grain bin safety, and needlestick injury prevention. …

Innovating for Agricultural Safety: Highlights from UMASH’s Spring 2024 Gathering

At UMASH's 2024 Spring Center Meeting, UMASH researchers and staff gathered at Lake Elmo Park Reserve to share project updates, discuss new challenges, and strengthen partnerships to improve safety and health in the Upper Midwest. Joined by guest speaker Paul Aasen, CEO of the Minnesota Safety Council and UMASH Advisory Board Member, attendees networked, exchanged updates, shared successes, and brainstormed strategies to address emerging issues together. …

Health Meets Harvest: Empowering Mayo Med Students in Ag Medicine

UMASH, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, and Zumbro Valley Medical Society teamed up to create an agricultural and rural medicine elective for medical students. This course, led by Dr. Steven Kirkhorn and Dr. Jonathan Kirsch, addressed rural healthcare, including agricultural and migrant worker health, to help prepare future physicians serving rural communities. …

Springing into Action for Ag Health and Safety

Spring has sprung, and as farms are busy and in action with planting season underway, so is our UMASH team. From welcoming new faces, to raising agricultural safety awareness, catch up on what UMASH researchers and staff have been doing to help farmers, workers, and families stay safe and healthy this spring and all season long. …

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. …