OCTOBER 2022 On the second Monday of October, we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Many people are taught the story of Christopher Columbus “sailing the ocean blue in 1492” and discovering the “New World.” While it made for a catchy rhyme, this story erases the land’s true history – that indigenous people lived, farmed, and were …

OCTOBER 2022 Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center renewal announced The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH), serving Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, is one of 11 centers selected by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to receive funding for a five-year cycle …

SEPTEMBER 2022 According to the most recent 2017 census, the average age of farmers is estimated to be 57.5 years old – continuing a long-term trend for overall aging in the United States. Aging leads to a gradual decrease in physical and mental capacity, and there is a growing risk of developing age-related diseases or conditions. One of many …

SEPTEMBER 2022 Agriculture is known to be hazardous. With higher death, injury, and illness rates than many other occupations, it can often feel like threats to health and safety are unavoidable on the farm. However, agricultural incidents are preventable. In a recent Hoard’s Dairyman article, our colleague, John Shutske, shares a powerful comparison …

SEPTEMBER 2022 Farming is one of the most dangerous and physically challenging occupations. It is also mentally and emotionally challenging. Economic, social, and environmental forces can be major sources of stress for farm families and rural communities. In a recent Capital Times article by Blake McCoy, ‘It’s OK to not be OK’: Farmers open up …

SEPTEMBER 2022 Harvest is here, and it can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year. In an effort to keep ag communities safe, healthy, and injury free this season, and all year long, we teamed up with our farm safety partners to highlight agricultural health and safety resources during National Farm Safety and Health Week. This …

AUGUST 2022 If you are a livestock farmer, you know that vaccinations are commonly used to treat or prevent disease for overall animal health. However, when working with needles, it is important to note that injections can be a safety hazard to the producer or employee. RESOURCES UMASH has developed the following Needlestick Prevention fact sheets and …

AUGUST 2022 Innovative research is one of the main pillars of UMASH, along with outreach and communication – all in an effort to improve the lives of agricultural workers in the Upper Midwest. The goal of our occupational safety and health research projects is to provide solutions to decrease illness and injury.  Each brief provides an easy-to-read …

AUGUST 2022 There seems to be a top ten list for almost everything today. Top ten travel sites, top ten ice creams, top ten places to retire, just to name a few. When it comes to farm safety, Michigan Farm Bureau has a practical list of 10 easy steps to creating a safer workplace on your dairy farm.  Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations, …

JULY 2022 With the summer in full force, so is the haying season. With large equipment, extreme heat, heavy lifting, and the stress of working in a narrow time frame, hay season comes with its own set of hazards. However, haying ditches has unique safety concerns when working on highly variable surfaces and steep slopes.  North Dakota State University …