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SPOTLIGHT: Helpful Tricks to Keep You in Tip-Top Shape During COVID-19

JULY 2020 The sun is shining, and the birds are chirping. All I want to do is go to the fair. I can imagine the cheese curds, the laughter, the 4Hers showing off their livestock. To be around other humans? What a blessing that would be. But then I think about my friend’s father, who contracted COVID-19, and I wonder what would happen if my aging parents …

SPOTLIGHT: Meg’s Mishap

JUNE 2020 It is December 8, 2019, late afternoon and nearly time for milking… Meg Moynihan-Stuedemann is getting the parlor ready and notices that the air filter looks somewhat dirty. Milk quality is very important on the Stuedemanns’ farm so she wanted to make sure this filter was replaced.  Outside the barn she finds a ladder which is stuck …

SPOTLIGHT: How Old is Old? Aging in Agriculture

JUNE 2020 How old is old? Depending on who you ask, you may get a number of answers. 45? 55? 65? Is it when you are eligible for senior discounts, safe driving courses or Social Security benefits? What does one mean by “old?” The average age of farmers is 58, and many continue to work into later ages including 65 and older. Farming is a dangerous …

SPOTLIGHT: Aging is a Public Health Issue

JUNE 2020 The United States and many communities around the world are “growing older.” With the changes in demographics today and in the future, aging is an increasingly important public health issue. The average age of farmers is approaching 60. Many continue to live and work on the farm well beyond typical retirement age. How can we as a community …

SPOTLIGHT: Aging on the Farm – A Community Forum

JUNE 2020 Aging is part of life and if Benjamin Franklin had his way, none of us would grow old. But we do and with aging comes many changes – physiologically, mentally and sensory. Many of these changes can challenge our safety and health particularly when staying in one’s home. NDSU Extension Service is an educational leader in the area …

SPOTLIGHT: Tick Tock! Time for Tick Awareness

This spotlight features an article from Patrick Wagner, SDSU Extension, with tips on preventing tick bites, as well as resources available on tick prevention, removal, and implications ticks carry with possible disease. …

SPOTLIGHT: What to Do About the Respirator Dilemma During COVID-19

MAY 2020 Producers and farmworkers face a dilemma during COVID-19. If a pesticide label lists a respirator, the applicator must wear a respirator. It’s legally required. So what does the farmer or farmworker do when the respirator isn’t available? To answer this question, we contacted experts at the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) …

SPOTLIGHT: Safety Should be a Team Sport in Dairies

MAY 2020 Dr. Gus Brihn is a Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine Resident with the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Brihn is part of our UMASH team with the Promoting Worker Health and Safety for Immigrant Dairy Workers project and has been instrumental in providing insights of the veterinarian’s …

SPOTLIGHT: You’re in Charge

MAY 2020 The University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing is working to address the needs of communities during these challenging times.  You’re in Charge Maria Bertrand UMASH Student Communications Specialist You are greeted with a colorful 6-pronged wheel. “Enhance your wellbeing,” it says. The wheel is divided …