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SPOTLIGHT: Allow Me To Demonstrate

JULY 2020 Demonstrations can be an effective method of both teaching and learning. In addition to reading and hearing information, seeing and practicing can help one understand even better. In an effort to keep farmers up to date with safety and health information, UMASH is going online with the help and expertise of a number of organizations. The UMASH …

SPOTLIGHT: Play It Cool – Keeping You and Your Dairy Cows Safe From Summer Heat

JULY 2020 “Is it hot enough for you?” Summer has arrived with all the heat, humidity and everyday conversations (or complaints) about the weather. We humans know what heat and humidity feel like, but what about your livestock? Could your dairy cows be at risk for heat stress in the same way you are? The I-29 Moo University podcast covered the topic …

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) …