This year National Farm Safety and Health Week will be September 18-24, 2022, and the theme is Protecting Agriculture's Future! Each weekday during NFSHW, AgriSafe will host two webinars related to that day's designated health and safety topic. Attend at least 4 webinars to receive a National Farm Safety and Health Week Champion digital badge!
Check out the webinar line-up here. Participants only need to register one time to access all NFSHW webinars.
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Meet our Public Health Analyst |
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Mikaela Stoltzfus has recently taken on the new position of "Public Health Analyst" with AgriSafe, and we are so excited to officially welcome her to the team! In her new role, she is helping to analyze data collected from AgriSafe's various programming and is creating infographics to communicate these findings with others. |
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Youth Safety on the Farm: Talking TFH® Podcast
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This month on Talking Total Farmer Health we discuss youth health and safety on the farm! Hear from Chris Shivers about some youth safety programming, and Marsha Salzwedel from the National Farm Medicine Center as she explains the risks to young people on farms and ranches. Listen now!
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July Health Spotlight: UV Awareness |
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Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and is related to repeated exposure to the sun, which causes damaging changes to a person’s skin.
Exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays is most intense between 10 AM and 4 PM. Remind your patients that if possible, they should: limit work in the sun during those hours; hydrate well with water or non-caffeinated beverages; avoid alcoholic beverages; wear wide-brimmed hats wear loose cotton clothing; and apply sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30+ every two hours. To reduce the risk of early cataract development and macular degeneration, sunglasses should meet ANSI UV requirements and indicate UV protection. Important: check prescription medication information for sun sensitivity! (source).
Farmers are more susceptible to skin cancer as they are working in the elements daily. Agricultural workers don’t need x-rays or blood tests to find skin cancer early – just their eyes and a mirror. Educate your patients on what it might look like. If an individual has skin cancer, finding it early is the best way to make sure it can be treated successfully!
Resources:
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ISASH 2022 Conference
From Pastures to Processing, the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) conference in 2022 brought together professionals to learn, network, and collaborate on highlighted work and research in interconnectedness across the food system. Primary topics included work and research in Mental Health, Diversity Inclusion and Equity, Youth, Technology, and Exposures. The overdue gathering also welcomed celebration. Charlotte Halverson (AgriSafe's Clinical Director) was honored at the AgriSafe Social for her tireless passion and commitment to serving our nation’s producers. Congratulations Charlotte!
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AgriSafe attended the 93rd Louisiana FFA State Convention on June 6th and 7th. Staff members Abigail Kahrs and Lynnie Smith were in attendance, promoting AgriSafe's Invest in Your Health (IYH) training and resources. This conference had over 1,4000 attendees. Lynnie and Abigail educated students on the dangers of working in agriculture by demonstrating the IYH Zoonotic Bingo and Hazard Mapping activities with students. Abigail also presented the IYH workshops Where Y’at-Using Mapping to Define Hazards in Agriculture and Stop Zoonosis in its Tracks- Prevention of Zoonosis.
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Increasing Positive Health Outcomes for LGBTQIA+ Farmers
Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, or as another non-heterosexual or non-cisgender identity (LGBTQIA+) are historically undercounted in census data, which means that their experiences might not be considered in decisions for public health infrastructure.
We know that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience health disparities, that can be exacerbated by the cultural and social norms present in agricultural communities. As such, they are at higher risk for negative health outcomes. But what your rural community might lack in supportive programming, you can make up for through small gestures. So, to increase the positive health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ individuals in agriculture, the first step you can take as a healthcare professional is to make your practice into a safe space.
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Here is how you can cultivate a safe space:
- Have universal bathrooms, which are gender neutral and family friendly.
- Put a pride flag or sticker up somewhere in your office to signal solidarity.
- Include flyers and pamphlets on gender identity and sexual orientation.
- Advertise and embody judgement-free, inclusive treatment.
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Here are some resources you can share:
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Out in the Open (TLGBQ+ 501©3 nonprofit) – Through their HEART Program, trained volunteers help TLGBQ+ individuals access safe and supportive healthcare.
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CDC’s list of LGBT health clinics by state and city.
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The Trevor Project – They have a 24/7 crisis line, text line, and webchat for LGBTQ+ youth, answered by trained counselors.
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The Cultivating Change Foundation
The Cultivating Change Foundation is a national 501©3 nonprofit dedicated to creating equitable work environments for LGBTQ+ individuals in the agriculture industry. This October, they will host the Cultivating Change Summit in Washington DC, to gather LGBTQ+ agriculture professionals and allies to create lasting partnerships for change. This summit with take place October 2nd-4th. Click here for more information!
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AgriSafe Webinar Opportunities |
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AgriStress Helpline: 24/7 Crisis Line Built for Farmers and Ranchers
July 19, 2022
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm CT
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Free suicide prevention training, available every Thursday in July (participants only need to attend 1 session).
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Upcoming Events in Agriculture |
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Minnesota FarmFest: August 2 - 4, 2022
AgriSafe will be exhibiting information on respiratory and hearing protection at Minnesota FarmFest in the UMASH Wellness Pavilion on August 2nd - 4th, 2022. If you are in the area be sure to come out and say hello! More information is available here.
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Agricultural and Logging Roadway Safety Symposium
Date: Monday, August 8th, 2022 (All day) to Tuesday, August 9th, 2022 (All day)
Location: Asheville, NC
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AgrileadHer Virtual Conference |
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Join AgriSafe staff in promoting and attending the AgrileadHer virtual conference happening August 17th-18th, 2022. Our own Total Farmer Health Director, Tara Haskins, and QPR Coordinator, Olivia Bury will be part of the programming!
The AgrileadHer™ conference is created for every woman who is passionate about agriculture and food, whether you are a university student studying agriculture, producer, entrepreneur, representative of a grower association, or corporate agribusiness. Register for the 2022 virtual conference today and get inspired to make a difference in your career. Use code agrisafe when registering to save 20%!
Dr. Tara Haskins and Olivia Bury, BS will be presenting the session: Optimizing Female Producer Health with a Focus on Mental Wellbeing. Dr. Haskins and Olivia will explore female-specific health and safety topics with an emphasis on navigating the stressors and mental health concerns for female producers.
Olivia Bury will be facilitating the panel discussion Finding Balance: Female Farmer Panel on Resiliency and Stress Management. Hear and learn from women producers as they discuss their work challenges, how it affects their roles both in and outside the workplace, and strategies they find helpful.
The conference is hosted by The University of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and the University of Tennessee. Funding was made possible in part by the USDA's Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grants. More information is available here!
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