August 2021
Dairy Girl Network (DGN) partnered with UMASH to host the second webinar in their August Safety Series for the DGN community. On August 25, UMASH’s Megan Schossow presented People First for Healthy Agriculture: Managing Risk. Megan discussed using an applied and practical approach to farm safety and health, while focusing on the Dairy Dozen, which are the 12 safety concerns on dairy farms. The webinar can be accessed at: https://dairygirlnetwork.com/farm-safety-series-registration/
The Dairy Girl Network connects all women of the dairy industry, encouraging ideas and camaraderie in an effort to achieve personal and professional development. Designed as a welcoming network of passionate women involved in dairy, relationships will grow through shared experience, support and inspiration. Find more online:https://dairygirlnetwork.com/
Latest News
- August 26, 2024Connecting, Learning, and GrowingAUGUST 2024 At UMASH, our goal to improve agricultural safety and health is fueled by meaningful connections, continuous learning, and growth. This summer, our team has collaborated with different agricultural groups across industries, attended international conferences, and shared insights at local safety events to help improve farm safety, health, and well-being across the Upper Midwest. Catch up on updates including new faces on our UMASH team and recent activities from June and July. New Faces at UMASH The UMASH team has been growing! Earlier this summer, UMASH had the pleasure of welcoming two new members to the UMASH team. Connecting with Ag Safety Experts Across the Globe at ISASH 2024 In June, UMASH staff and researchers headed to Portland, Oregon, for the 2024 International Society for Agricultural Safety & Health (ISASH) annual conference. This international event provided an excellent platform for networking with agricultural safety professionals and exchanging ideas aimed at enhancing occupational safety across the globe. Highlights from the conference included UMASH Director Dr. Jeff Bender’s compelling presentation on the global impacts of avian influenza. Outreach Specialist Melissa Plockelman also showcased the Telling the Story project, emphasizing the power of storytelling in sharing crucial injury prevention messages within the agricultural sector. LEARN MORE HERE Advancing Dairy Safety with FARM Workforce Development Last month, UMASH collaborated with FARM to contribute to their Workforce Development (FARM WFD) session. Dr. Jeff Bender, Megan Schossow, and Cassie Edlund presented on essential topics, including positive dairy animal handling practices, needlestick and sharp safety, and fostering a safety culture on farms. Discussing Influenza Impacts on Swine Industry On June 27, UMASH, in collaboration with the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) and the National Pork Board, facilitated a virtual discussion titled “Potential Influenza Impacts on Swine Industry Workforce.” This informative webinar featured experts from Texas A&M School of Public Health and Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, focusing on the current HPAI H5N1 outbreak and its implications for the swine industry workforce. The session provided valuable insights into biosecurity and worker safety guidelines. WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING HERE Sharing Safety Insights with Ag Cooperative Safety Directors of MN In July, UMASH Director Dr. Jeff Bender addressed the Minnesota Agricultural Coop Safety Directors Quarterly Meeting in Spicer, Minnesota. His presentation, “Safety in a Team Sport,” highlighted the importance of a robust safety culture within agricultural cooperatives. Dr. Bender shared effective strategies for managing risks and fostering a team-based approach to health and safety, aiming to enhance safety practices across cooperative settings. LEARN MORE HERE Global Health Seed Grants: Congratulations to UMASH’s Dr. Noelle Noyes! We are thrilled to announce that UMASH researcher Noelle Noyes, DVM, PhD, has been awarded a 2024 Global Health Seed Grant by the Center for Global Health and Social Responsibility (CGHSR). Dr. Noyes’s project, “Harnessing Bacterial Genomics to Monitor Heavy Metal Pollution in the Andean Mountain Grasslands of Peru,” will benefit from $25,000 in funding. This grant supports research that fosters international partnerships and sustainable global health solutions. Congratulations to Dr. Noyes! [...] READ MORE
- July 31, 2024Lights, Camera, Action for Ag Safety and Health!For the fourth year running, UMASH teams up with University of Minnesota students. These College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Agricultural Education, Communication and Marketing students create short, impactful public service announcements (PSAs) focused on farm safety and health. Agriculture can be a dangerous job, but farm injuries, illness, disease, and fatalities on the farm can be prevented. Working around hazards like grain bins, ATVs, heavy machinery, and chemicals poses serious risks, some of which can be life-threatening or even fatal. Farmers and workers can also face other dangers that may not be as obvious, including zoonotic disease and stress/mental health concerns. One effective way to spread awareness and empower individuals is through short, attention-grabbing videos. Continuing the project for its fourth year, UMASH partnered with Dr. Troy McKay to organize a PSA contest for students enrolled in Advanced Video Production for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (AECM 4432), a course is part of the Agricultural Education, Communications, and Marketing program within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) at the University of Minnesota. For the contest, students create one-minute PSAs that serve as engaging and educational tools to raise awareness and empower individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent injuries and illness on the farm. Guided by UMASH’s expertise and Dr. McKay’s mentorship, students channeled their creativity and put their media skills to the test to advocate for a safer and healthier future for agriculture. Student participants focused on topics like farm equipment safety, rural roadway safety, mental health, and more. “I really liked this video contest. I think the principles behind it were empowering, and I felt I was serving a greater purpose,” said one student participant, highlighting the impact of the real-world application of safety and health messaging in media. Another shared, “I think sharing information on this topic is important, so it felt that my video is making an impact!” Two videos were recognized as contest winners and received a University of Minnesota bookstore gift card and a feature in UMASH communications channels. [...] READ MORE
- June 18, 2024Partnering for Progress in Agricultural Safety and HealthAt UMASH, collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Catch up on how UMASH is partnering to promote the health and safety of farmers, workers, and their families around topics like cannabis at work, emergency medical services, grain bin safety, and needlestick injury prevention. [...] READ MORE
- May 30, 2024Innovating for Agricultural Safety: Highlights from UMASH’s Spring 2024 GatheringAt UMASH’s 2024 Spring Center Meeting, UMASH researchers and staff gathered at Lake Elmo Park Reserve to share project updates, discuss new challenges, and strengthen partnerships to improve safety and health in the Upper Midwest. Joined by guest speaker Paul Aasen, CEO of the Minnesota Safety Council and UMASH Advisory Board Member, attendees networked, exchanged updates, shared successes, and brainstormed strategies to address emerging issues together. [...] READ MORE
- May 7, 2024Health Meets Harvest: Empowering Mayo Med Students in Ag MedicineUMASH, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, and Zumbro Valley Medical Society teamed up to create an agricultural and rural medicine elective for medical students. This course, led by Dr. Steven Kirkhorn and Dr. Jonathan Kirsch, addressed rural healthcare, including agricultural and migrant worker health, to help prepare future physicians serving rural communities. [...] READ MORE
- April 26, 2024Springing into Action for Ag Health and SafetySpring has sprung, and as farms are busy and in action with planting season underway, so is our UMASH team. From welcoming new faces, to raising agricultural safety awareness, catch up on what UMASH researchers and staff have been doing to help farmers, workers, and families stay safe and healthy this spring and all season long. [...] READ MORE
- April 3, 2024Safeguard your farm: Protect you and your livestock from HPAIHighly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as “bird flu,” is a serious, highly contagious disease that is often fatal to chickens and turkeys. To prepare for the possible infection of flocks in the Upper Midwest, UMASH has prepared a toolkit to help poultry farmers enhance prevention with biosecurity protocols, identify the signs and symptoms of HPAI in birds, and stay connected to additional resources from USDA – APHIS and state departments of agriculture. [...] READ MORE
- March 20, 2024Off-Road Ready: ATV/UTV Safety for Every RideWhile ATVs and UTVs can be enjoyable to drive and practical for work, the thrill of riding can turn dangerous, even deadly, if not handled with caution. Use these ATV and UTV safety tips to get off-road ready and gear up for a safe ride every time. [...] READ MORE
- February 28, 2024Welcome back, Cassie! A catch up Q&AUMASH welcomes Cassie Edlund back to the team as Senior Communications and Evaluation Specialist! Learn more about her journey, passion for public health, and commitment to promoting health and safety for agricultural communities through effective communication strategies and storytelling in this insightful Q &A. [...] READ MORE
- February 20, 2024Advancing Agricultural Safety in DCUMASH, MCOHS and other NIOSH Centers met in Washington, DC to discuss occupational safety and health research, training and outreach, focusing on advancing the well-being of workers in the agricultural sector, and workers across the US. [...] READ MORE
- January 18, 2024Possible or probable? MDH tracks potential farm-related injuries to prevent future risksDr. Erik Zabel studies health and safety on farms. In his work, he looks at data about injuries and illnesses from hospitals and clinics to understand which injuries likely happened on farms. Using hospital discharge data (diagnosis codes and e-codes), Erik is tracking farm injuries and working to develop a farm safety indicator. A farm safety indicator could be used to accurately track the number of farm injuries over time, which would provide insight into whether safety programs have helped reduce the number of injuries, create possible and probable safety and health categories, and target where workplace interventions may be helpful. [...] READ MORE
- November 29, 2023Honoring the Life of Carol PetersonAll of us at UMASH are deeply saddened to share that our dear friend and colleague, Carol M. Peterson, passed away November 19, 2023. Carol was a significant part of the UMASH team, and a gift to the agricultural safety and health community. We are deeply grateful for Carol’s impact and contributions, as well as the relationships and memories made along the way. [...] READ MORE