Building resilience in agricultural communities starts with preparedness, planning and prevention. This year’s Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health (MRASH) Conference, in Marshalltown, IA, framed emergencies and disasters through the theme, “Reframe, Refocus, Rebuild.” The Iowa Center for Agricultural Safety and Health the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, and the Iowa Rural Health Association joined together to organize and deliver the 2019 annual MRASH conference. The conference brings together approximately 150 safety and health researchers and professionals, health care providers, farmers, and rural advocates all committed to building a safer and healthier agriculture.

Carolyn Sheridan, Ag Health and Safety Alliance, and Megan Schossow

This year, Megan Schossow attended the two-day conference on November 13 &14. In addition to connecting with other ag centers and collaborators, the conference connected UMASH to Iowa Extension, Iowa Rural Health Association staff, and was a great outlet to share resources. UMASH exhibited new swine resources, handwashing resources, and a poster highlighting our partner projects to address stress and mental health in agriculture.