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SPOTLIGHT: Springtime – shedding sweaters and crypto

MARCH 2021 For those of us in the Upper Midwest, spring is a welcomed time of year. The days are longer, warmer and we can slowly shed the sweaters and puffer coats. For dairy and beef farmers, spring is a time to anticipate spring calving and prepare for herd health. Cryptosporidium is a common parasite during calving season and cryptosporidiosis is …

SPOTLIGHT: Safer FACEs Online Training Program for Agritourism Venues

UPDATED MARCH 2021 In January 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health launched Safer Farm Animal Contact Exhibits (Safer FACEs), a training program for agritourism venues. The free, web-based, at-your-own-pace training offers an opportunity for owners and staff of these operations to learn how to keep visitors safe from illnesses that can spread from …

SPOTLIGHT: A Veterinary Perspective to Ag Health and Safety

MARCH 2021 His background in veterinary medicine, public health, and research has proven an impactful addition to the development of animal and human health resources at UMASH, adding a unique and specialized perspective for farm safety. As we continue to provide support to farmers and the ag community, Addisalem will play a key role in the research …

SPOTLIGHT: Biosecurity and Swine Educators

MARCH 2021 Diane DeWitte and Sarah Schieck Boelke are Extension Educators with the University of Minnesota Extension. With both having educational backgrounds and experience working with swine, they can offer research-based information on a number of topics including swine production, nutrition, health, facilities, management and biosecurity. Biosecurity …

SPOTLIGHT: Some Things Shouldn’t be Shared

FEBRUARY 2021 The concept of sharing for most of us probably goes back to childhood. Whether we learned to share with a sibling, a friend, or in school, we learned that sharing is good. As adults, the importance of sharing is always present; whether it be sharing knowledge, wealth, time or resources, the idea is that everyone benefits from sharing. …

Stress Busting with Women in Ag Network

FEBRUARY 2021 At the 2021 Women in Ag Network Annual Conference, UMASH hosted a stress buster in the virtual community. The 2021 conference Building Bridges, Cultivating Connections, held on February 3, 2021, gathered over 100 attendees, ranging from agricultural businesses, farmers, Extension educators and more. The UMASH presentation focused on equipping …

SPOTLIGHT: Youth safety resources

FEBRUARY 2021 UMASH regularly emphasizes that agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the US, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries; and farming is one of the few industries in which family members (who often share the work and live on the …

SPOTLIGHT: That’s my advice…

JANUARY 2021 Have you ever been told…”that’s my advice, take it or leave it.”? Many of us have sought advice from a trusted person – maybe a teacher, a relative or a good friend. Or maybe we are the person who has given advice to someone in need. Either way, we want to make sure we are getting or giving the best information or advice as …

SPOTLIGHT: Invisible on the Farm – Bacterial Infections From Animals to People

JANUARY 2021 What images come to mind when you think of hazards on the farm – large tractors, grain bins, ATV’s, chemicals? These are all very visible examples of risks in agriculture. There are invisible risks as well, just as dangerous and life threatening as tractors and grain bins. Farmers and farm workers handling animals are at a greater …