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SPOTLIGHT: Drought Toolkit

JUNE 2021                                          As the summer unfolds, many farmers may be concerned about drought conditions especially given hotter than normal temperatures. Drought can affect us in many different ways including economic, environmental and social/well being impacts. Time such as this can be quite stressful …

SPOTLIGHT: A teacher, an advocate and a friend

JUNE 2021 UMASH is recognizing a colleague who was instrumental in the immigrant dairy worker project since 2011. Patricia Juárez-Carrillo, PhD, MPH, recently passed away due to pulmonary fibrosis. She was a strong advocate for environmental and social justice and spent much of her life working to improve the health of families living along the US-Mexico …

SPOTLIGHT: UMASH is About the People & the Partnerships

MAY 2021 UMASH is an interdisciplinary organization spanning five states and at least five industries (i.e., agriculture, public health, veterinary medicine, occupational health, and healthcare). Through committed partnerships with community leaders, field experts, and researchers, UMASH has the tools to address multifaceted problems in agricultural …

SPOTLIGHT: Time for a Grain Bin Check Up – Don’t forget safety

MAY 2021 Grain bins have long been the topic of agricultural safety and health. Unfortunately, many tragedies have occurred when working around bins, most notably flowing grain and entrapment. There are additional safety concerns including respiratory, hearing and falls which can and do occur. As we head into late spring and summer, many farmers are …

Bold and Humble – Engaging in Anti-Racist Public Health

MAY 2021 Maria Bertrand, UMASH Research Assistant, recently attended the Minnesota Public Health Association (MPHA) 2021 Conference: Bold and Humble – Engaging in Anti-Racist Public Health. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a major initiative at the University of Minnesota and within the School of Public Health. As a graduate student in Public …

SPOTLIGHT: Leave A Message – Ag Communication students develop farm safety messages

MAY 2021 Powerful messages come through a variety of means and they can change the way we think and act. The art and science of communication can be an effective tool, and short video messages such as public service announcements (PSA’s) are one example. Penn State University noted PSA’s are effective because: It gets the audience to pay attention. …

A Sign of Spring – The Annual NORA Symposium

April 2021  The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Symposium was held virtually via Zoom on April 22, 2021 focusing on the topic of COVID-19 in the Workplace: Creating Safe Workspaces.  With over 450 attendees, the event began with six poster presentations followed by a question and answer session.  Dr. Mike Osterholm was the keynote presenter …

SPOTLIGHT: NIOSH’s 50th Anniversary

APRIL 2021 Now, more than ever, worker health in the United States is a priority to each and every one of us. During this time of great challenges and changes in public health, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is celebrating their 50th anniversary throughout all of 2021. Established by the Occupational Safety and Health …

Parkinson’s Disease and Aging in Agriculture

APRIL 2021 Parkinson’s disease impacts over one million people living in the United States, and rural or agricultural communities may encounter challenges and barriers to diagnosis or specialized care. UMASH partnered with AgriSafe Network to host Aging and Parkinson’s Disease in Agriculture. On April 13, over 100 attendees joined the webinar …

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccinations and Immigrant Dairy Workers

APRIL 2021 Dairy workers in the country face considerable occupational risks and hazards in their daily operations. As essential workers, the risk of contracting COVID-19 has become an additional concern. Many are immigrants, and in the face of other barriers such as language, transportation and immigration concerns dairy farms are finding it difficult …