National Farm Medicine Center News

New online biosecurity premises mapping tool available to livestock producers

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:20:41 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 30, 2026

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
scott.heiberger@sanfordhealth.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown
melissa.ploeckelman@sanfordhealth.org
715-240-0900

New online biosecurity premises mapping tool available to livestock producers

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in U.S. poultry flocks highlight the importance of biosecurity measures in limiting the spread of infectious disease in livestock production, diseases that can potentially cross into humans.

To help producers increase preparedness and maintain continuity of business during a disease response, staff at the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, have led development of PremisesMapper, a free, web-based biosecurity premises mapping tool.

Biosecurity is another way of saying “infectious disease control,” and refers to everything done to keep diseases and the things that cause them (viruses, bacteria, funguses, parasites and other organisms) away from animals, property and the people that may interact with them.

A “premises map” is an aerial, visual representation of a specific property, including its boundaries, structures and key features. Premises maps typically depict perimeter buffer areas, lines of separation, access points, cleaning and disinfecting stations, and carcass removal pathways, among other features relevant to facility biosecurity.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Division of Animal Health served as a key stakeholder and advisor in the tool development process.

“In the event of a disease response, many livestock producers are required to submit a premises map to their state animal health office as a part of their biosecurity plan,” said Kurt Grajkowski, emergency services coordinator with DATCP. Creating a biosecurity plan and premises map prior to disease outbreak can expedite response efforts and limit negative impacts on producer operations.

Existing guides for creating biosecurity plan premises maps recommend using a combination of Google Earth, screen shot capabilities, and Microsoft Word, or else drawing the map by hand using colored pencils, markers or crayons.

“This tool facilitates development of maps for producers and streamlines the transfer of maps to state officials and emergency response personnel,” said Jakob Hanschu, PremisesMapper product manager. PremisesMapper allows users to place icons, draw lines and shapes, and add key information. All symbology is aligned with existing premises mapping guidelines. A key development feature of PremisesMapper is a step-by-step guide that walks producers through all of the elements that they should include to ensure the development of complete, accurate maps.

PremisesMapper was soft-launched in March and received positive user feedback. Testimonials indicate that the tool is increasing the efficiency of premises map development for state officials and producers responding to HPAI.

“It’s a definite time saver,” Grajkowski said. “We had some changes to one of our premises just the other day, and I was able to make the updates in a matter of minutes.”

To use PremisesMapper, go to this link and create a free account: https://rfdash.org/PremisesMapper/. All PremisesMapper information is securely stored on health system servers. After creating a map, producers can print it or download a PDF to integrate into their biosecurity plan. If you have questions about PremisesMapper, please contact Jakob Hanschu (jakob.hanschu@sanfordhealth.org).

For more information on biosecurity for producers, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/BasicBiosecurity.aspx

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A good premises mapping tool can aid biosecurity efforts

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Biosecurity is a vital part of livestock production

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Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program to visit Florida, Feb. 26

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 19:44:05 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2026

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program to visit Florida, Feb. 26

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program will conduct another training, Thursday, Feb. 26, in Wimauma, Fla. This is the first training to be hosted in Florida and the first training in the southeastern United States.

“The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is excited to host this training,” said Assistant Professor and RF-DASH training host Serap Gorucu, Ph.D. “This training will be particularly helpful for Extension professionals, firefighters, farmers, emergency responders and other agricultural community stakeholders.”

Registration deadline is Feb. 19. There is no cost. The training will include a classroom portion as well as a hands-on component on a local farm. Classroom training will take place at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, 14625 CR 672, Wimauma.

RF-DASH is a program of the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wis. In its 10th year, RF-DASH has extended to 18 states and five Canadian provinces. The program has directly trained more than 300 first responders, nearly half in 2025 alone with funding support from CHS Foundation. Many of these individuals have gone on to train members of their own and neighboring departments.

Instructors will be Jakob Hanschu, National Farm Medicine Center, and Jim Volkosh, a veteran of the fire service and fire protection industry. Volkosh served two terms as chief of the Middleport (N.Y.) Fire Department and has been a fire instructor for both the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and the New York Academy of Fire Science. As Niagara County Fire Coordinator and Director of Emergency Services, Volkosh led a 48-person team to Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks.

The training is organized into five modules that can contribute to alignment with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, specifically NFPA 1300 on community risk assessment and reduction and NFPA 1670 on technical search and rescue training.

For more information, visit the event web page or email rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org.

To inquire about firefighter training or implementing the program on your farm or ranch, contact rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org. Visit www.rfdash.org for more information.

An RF-DASH online course is also available.

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Introduction to Agricultural Emergencies is part of the new RF-DASH Online Training Course

Farm Hazard Analysis is part of the new RF-DASH Training Course

Hosting university

Online training course built for rural firefighters

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:56:23 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Online training course built for rural firefighters

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) online course is now live.

The free course is part of the broader RF-DASH program, run by the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute. RF-DASH aims to equip rural first responders with agricultural health and safety knowledge to prevent farm injuries and improve emergency preparedness in rural communities.

The online course introduces fire/EMS personnel to the RF-DASH program, provides instruction in the core RF-DASH material, and discusses two technological tools that can be used to improve farm/ranch safety. First responders and others completing this course will receive a certificate of completion, which they can submit to their department requesting continuing education credits. Additionally, students that complete an evaluation survey will receive an RF-DASH patch and RF-DASH challenge coin.

The course is open to anyone at any time, at no cost. Simply create an account on the RF-DASH website.

The RF-DASH Online Course development was funded through the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at University of Wisconsin-Madison and supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR002373. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent official views of the NIH. The RF-DASH program is funded through the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), cooperative agreement U54OH010170. In-person training events are supported by the CHS Foundation.

To inquire about in-person firefighter training or implementing the RF-DASH program on your farm or ranch, contact tim@exenvironmental.com or rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org. Visit www.rfdash.org for more information.

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Introduction to Agricultural Emergencies is part of the new RF-DASH Online Training Course

Farm Hazard Analysis is part of the new RF-DASH Training Course

Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program to visit Texas, Oct. 25

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:17:48 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program to visit Texas, Oct. 25

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program is excited to announce its next training, Saturday, Oct. 25, in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Doug Simmerman, a recently trained RF-DASH trainer and agricultural safety educator, is partnering with the Hopkins County Fire Department to host the event. RF-DASH Lead Trainer Tim Zehnder will co-lead the course. The training is open to first responders, farmers and other agricultural community stakeholders.

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation. Building upon research from the National Farm Medicine Center showing that rural emergency responders are highly trusted sources of safety information, RF-DASH -- with support from CHS Foundation -- trains and assists rural fire departments to advocate for emergency preparedness and hazard reduction.

The RF-DASH program is in its ninth year and has extended to 18 states and five Canadian provinces. The program has directly trained 200 first responders. Many of these individuals have gone on to train members of their own and neighboring departments.

“I’m looking forward to taking RF-DASH to Texas and helping spread the program’s prevention and pre-planning process,” Zehnder said.

“RF-DASH brings the rural fire service and the farm and ranch community together to not only make it safer for the responding department, but to give the farm and ranch community the opportunity to make their places safer for their families and employees."

The training will include a classroom portion as well as a hands-on component on a local farm. The classroom portion of the training will take place at the Hopkins County Fire Department: 1286 Texas St., Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.

To register, please visit this link and complete the short form: https://redcap.link/rfdash_registration. Registration deadline is Oct. 23.

For more information, visit the event web page, or contact Doug Simmerman (903-450-3642), Tim Zehnder (715-781-0735) or email rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org.

In order to inquire about firefighter training or implementing the program on your farm or ranch, contact tim@exenvironmnetal.com or rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org. Visit www.rfdash.org for more information.

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Grain entrapment is among hazards addressed in the RF-DASH program

Tractor rollover response is part of RF-DASH training

RF-DASH Logo

Childhood agricultural injury prevention leader earns top safety award

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 19:25:14 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-389-7541

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Childhood agricultural injury prevention leader earns top safety award

The world’s largest society of agricultural safety and health professionals has awarded its highest honor to Barbara Lee, Ph.D., associate director, National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, “in recognition of her lifetime of achievement, deep commitment to professional excellence and transformative impact on the field.”

The International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) presented Lee with the Maynard Coe Professional Achievement Award during its annual conference, June 25, in Portland, Maine. Coe served as director of the Farm Division of the National Safety Council for 20 years and worked with universities, farm organizations and the agriculture industry in establishing farm safety as a recognized profession.

“This is a really special award that needs to be shared with a lot of people,” Lee said. “I have had the good fortune of working with so many talented and passionate people, and together we have had a positive impact on childhood agricultural injury prevention. We’ve been able to grow these collaborations and now have safety advocates around the world. It’s really important to celebrate the successes we have had.”

Lee is a senior research scientist with the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, home to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. Lee’s career embodies the principles and intent of the Maynard Coe Award. Her sustained excellence in research, education, policy and leadership has elevated the standards of practice in agricultural safety and health and helped institutionalize child agricultural injury prevention as a national and international priority.

“Dr. Lee’s work and collaborations are of the highest caliber,” said Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., Farm Medicine director. “This recognition is much deserved.”

The agricultural worksite is one of the nation’s most hazardous, and the only one where children of any age may be present. Among early National Children’s Center initiatives was the development of guidelines for parents to match chores with their child's developmental and physical capabilities. Follow-up data demonstrated a 56 percent decline in youth farm injury rates from 1998 to 2009, which ranked among Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report’s Ten Great Public Health Achievements 2001-2010.

Lee’s pioneering efforts began in the late 1980s when she joined the National Farm Medicine Center. In 1992, under her direction, the first national symposium on childhood agricultural injury prevention was held in Marshfield, laying the foundation for a national agenda. In 1997, the National Children’s Center was established with a competitive grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The National Children’s Center remains a national and international hub for resources, data, consensus guidelines, and outreach strategies designed to protect the most vulnerable members of the agricultural workforce.

Lee’s influence extends beyond programmatic leadership. She has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and has served in advisory roles for national and international initiatives. She was co-chair of the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing and a longstanding member of national advisory groups such as the National Tractor Safety Coalition and the National Coordinated Child Safety Initiative. In 2007, she co-founded the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), helping bridge public-private collaborations in agricultural safety. Within ISASH, Lee has long been a central figure. She is a past president (1995-96) and notably the organization’s first female president.

In 2024, Dr. Lee transitioned to the role of associate director of the National Children’s Center, continuing to mentor emerging leaders, while advancing her individual research on the legal dimensions of childhood agricultural fatalities.

“Dr. Lee’s commitment to child agricultural health and safety continues as she mentors and guides emerging leaders within the field and engages in novel research,” said Andrea Swenson, Ph.D., National Children’s Center director.

Lee's recent publication, “Child Farm Injuries are Never ‘Accidents,’” in the Journal of Agromedicine, has drawn national media attention and ignited critical discourse on responsibility and accountability in rural injury prevention.

The Coe Award consists of a monetary award and a plaque. Lee plans to donate the $1,000 back into the ISASH Endowment Fund.

ISASH was established in 1962 as the National Institute for Farm Safety. ISASH is dedicated to the development of agricultural safety and health professionals, and to providing leadership in the prevention of agricultural injuries and illnesses. ISASH membership includes engineers, educators, insurers, physicians, nurses, veterinarians, epidemiologists, communicators, anthropologists, sociologists and business leaders. Many safety initiatives in U.S. agriculture have involved members of ISASH, including: the slow-moving vehicle emblem; emergency farm rescue; rollover protective structures; and assistive technologies for disabled farmers.

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Dr. Barbara Lee with Maynard Coe Award (.jpg)

ISASH Logo (.jpg)

More fish, fewer injuries: IFISH 6 Conference addresses commercial fishing safety in Journal of Agromedicine special issue

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:47:57 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

More fish, fewer injuries:

IFISH 6 Conference addresses commercial fishing safety in Journal of Agromedicine special issue

Global production of seafood continues to rise, along with concern for the health and safety of workers in commercial fishing and the related industries of aquaculture and seafood processing. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that approximately 80 commercial fishing workers lose their lives each day.

Seafood accounts for 15 percent of the world population’s animal protein intake. China, Indonesia, India, Peru, Russia and the United States are the largest seafood producers by volume, according to the latest data. The top aquaculture producers were China, Indonesia, India, Viet Nam and Bangladesh. In 2022, world aquaculture production surpassed capture fisheries for the first time in history.

Reducing occupational safety and health risk in aquatic food production was the focus of the Sixth International Fishing Industry Safety and Health (IFISH) Conference, which generated 27 articles published in a recent issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Agromedicine. The special issue highlights topics discussed during the conference, the only international gathering of fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing safety experts and researchers. Nearly 170 occupational safety and health researchers, safety professionals, industry members, and students from 31 countries gathered in January 2024 in Rome.

“The opportunity to curate this special issue for the Journal of Agromedicine, featuring the impactful work from IFISH6, has reinforced the critical importance of research in protecting the lives and well-being of those in the fishing, seafood processing and aquaculture sectors,” said Senior Guest Editor Jennifer Lincoln, Ph.D., Injury Epidemiologist, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). “This collection represents a significant step forward in our collective understanding and commitment to creating safer work environments for these workers."

The IFISH Conference first occurred in 2000, encouraging dialogue among researchers, industry and worker organizations, aimed at decreasing injury and illness in the seafood industry.

Few occupations are as old, or as hazardous, as commercial fishing.

“One consistent message from IFISH was clear: fishermen prioritize safety and are ready to embrace solutions that are both practical and relevant," Lincoln said. “Often, it takes someone willing to bridge connections between groups to truly identify these workable solutions.”

The Journal of Agromedicine is the world’s top source of peer-reviewed agricultural safety and health research. It is edited by the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, and published by Taylor and Francis Group. The journal’s website provides searchable, archived abstracts from this (Volume 30, Issue 2) and all issues.

IFISH is advised and organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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IFISH6 conference logo (.png)
Illustration by Manuela Marazzi/International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference

Few occupations are as old, or as hazardous, as commercial fishing (.jpg)
Photo credit: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Training for safety and survival (.jpg)
Photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard.

Marshfield Parish Pull to feature drawing for free tractor rollbar retrofit, July 11

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:54:55 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Marshfield Parish Pull to feature drawing for free tractor rollbar retrofit, July 11

Tractor overturns are the leading cause of farm-related deaths. That’s why it’s so important that each tractor have a rollover protective structure (ROPS).

Thanks to a generous gift from the Marshfield Parish Truck & Tractor Pull, the National Farm Medicine Center, part of Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, will award a free ROPS retrofit in a drawing Friday, July 11, during the 12^th annual Pull at Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. All Wisconsin farmers are eligible. Just stop by the National Farm Medicine Center table on the Midway between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on July 11. The winner will be announced around 9 pm.

One lucky tractor owner will get the free ROPS, and all who register will be enrolled in the National Farm Medicine Center Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program, which (funding permitting) partially reimburses owners toward the total cost of purchasing, shipping and installing individual ROPS. Enrollees will be mailed retrofit options and costs for their particular tractor.

In addition, Farm Medicine and the Research Institute will sponsor the “Ice Cream Dash” between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the stands and in the pit area. Proceeds from the Ice Cream Dash will be dedicated to the Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program.

A ROPS is an operator compartment structure (usually cab or rollbar) intended to protect farmers from injuries caused by overturns or rollovers. More than half the tractors in Wisconsin do not have this protection. ROPS did not become standard on U.S.-manufactured tractors until 1985. A ROPS, when used with a seatbelt, is 99 percent effective in preventing injury or death in the event of an overturn. Tractor owners can also register for a ROPS rebate via the national hotline, 1-877-767-7748 (1-877-ROPSR4U), or the Web site, www.ropsr4u.com. Either way, the owner provides basic information about his or her farm and tractors. Program staff do all the leg work.

Parish Pull attendees are also encouraged to visit the Tick Inventory via Citizen Science (TICS) project table that night, where they can get tick collection kits and add to the more than 6,000 ticks already registered. TICS project information is being used to assess the risk of encountering a tickborne disease, and to learn more about who is being exposed and diagnosed with tickborne diseases. Also be sure to pick up one of the new (free) tick removal kits.

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Many older tractors can be retrofit (.jpg)

ROPS retrofits can save lives (.jpg)

Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program adds first full-time trainer thanks to CHS Foundation grant

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:32:22 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 27, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Firefighter-driven agricultural safety program adds first full-time trainer thanks to CHS Foundation grant

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program is excited to announce the addition of its first full-time trainer. With support from the CHS Foundation and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, Tim Zehnder, whose background combines farming, rescue and emergency preparedness, will provide training events throughout the United States and help implement the program on farms and ranches.

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation. Building upon research from the National Farm Medicine Center showing that rural emergency responders are highly trusted sources of safety information, RF-DASH trains and assists rural fire departments to advocate for emergency preparedness and hazard reduction.

The RF-DASH program is entering its ninth year and has extended to 16 states and five Canadian provinces. The program has directly trained more than 170 first responders. Many of these individuals have gone on to train members of their own and neighboring departments. The RF-DASH team recently launched a monthly virtual Community of Practice meeting to build connections between RF-DASH trainers across North America. In addition, the team is set to release an online version of the course with support from the University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research.

Zehnder is employed by Ex Environmental and brings a wealth of experience to the trainer's role. He started his fire service career in 1990 in Truman, Minn., rising to the rank of chief, and has gone on to serve as fire training program manager at South Central College in North Mankato, Minn., and director of fire science at Mid-Plains Community College in McCook, Neb., as well as serving with the McCook Fire Department until 2020.

Zehnder has been very active with the rescue side of the fire service, including grain bin rescue, farm vehicle extrication, and confined space, among other fire service courses. Zehnder and Jay Pennfield co-produced a grain bin rescue video for Fire Engineering Books and Videos.

“I am very excited to take the RF-DASH program to the next level,” Zehnder said. “This program brings the rural fire service and the farm and ranch community together to not only make it safer for the responding department, but to give the farm and ranch community the opportunity to make their places safer for their families and employees."

During the next 18 months, the team will build custom grain harvesting, handling, and storage modules for the program and execute 18 trainings in the U.S., concentrating in the U.S. grain belt.

“This is going to be an exciting time for the RF-DASH program,” said Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the project. “We have had so much interest in the training modules from around the country. Thanks to new funding from the CHS Foundation, we can finally meet the demand for in-person training at farms that handle grain.”

In order to inquire about firefighter training or implementing the program on your farm and ranch, please contact tim@exenvironmnetal.com or rfdash@marshfieldresearch.org. Please visit www.rfdash.org for more information.

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Tim Zehnder (.jpg)

New RF-DASH lead trainer Tim Zehnder (right) at the October 2024 Agricultural Rescue Training event in Marshfield, Wis., with Christine Johnston (Maryland Extension) and Ron Naab (Allenton Fire). (.jpg)

AgrAbility of Wisconsin Summit, April 15 in Marshfield

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:44:24 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 25, 2025

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

AgrAbility of Wisconsin Summit, April 15 in Marshfield

Join fellow farmers and military veterans for the 2025 AgrAbility of Wisconsin Summit, April 15, at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wis.

The one-day program, hosted by AgrAbility of Wisconsin and the National Farm Medicine Center, will enable participants to network and learn about resources available through AgrAbility and other Wisconsin programs. “We are excited to host our annual Summit again this year,” said Brian Luck, director, AgrAbility of Wisconsin. “The speakers and presentations will be very informational and helpful to farmers with and without disabilities.”

The Summit will run from 9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., with registration starting at 9:30 a.m. A farmer/veteran networking breakfast will precede the Summit 8:30-9:30 a.m., sponsored by the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC).

Veteran service organizations will be exhibiting, including Veteran Service Care Coordinators (VetCoor) from Marshfield Clinic Health System, and members of the FVC of Wisconsin will discuss their program. All farmers and veterans are welcome. “What a great opportunity to honor and assist some of our nation’s finest – farmers and military veterans,” said Bryan Weichelt, Farm Medicine research scientist and lead of the VetCoor program at the health system.

All are welcome to attend the Summit. Lunch will be provided by the Wisconsin Farmer Veteran Coalition to those who register by April 9. Register now at go.wisc.edu/2225kp.

Featured speakers and topics will include:

Welcome message -- Casper Bendixsen, director, National Farm Medicine Center
“The Wisconsin Farm Center: Here when farmers need us” -- Dan Bauer, program supervisor, Wisconsin Farm Center at Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
“Why you should change your middle initial to S:And other reasons why a farm is not like a convenience store” -- Mark Cournoyer, Auburndale High School agriscience instructor
“Estate planning for farm families” -- Kelly T. Wilfert, farm law outreach specialist, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension

After the Summit, stay for a networking event from 4-5 p.m., featuring a welcome message from Gaonou Thao, bilingual HMoob/Hmong farmer outreach specialist, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension. Celebrate the community’s contributions to agriculture, enjoy cultural exchanges and unwind with fellow attendees over provided snacks.

Through the expanded partnership between Marshfield Clinic Research Institute’s National Farm Medicine Center, AgrAbility of Wisconsin, and Rural Mutual Insurance Company, registered Summit attendees will receive a Slow-moving Vehicle (SMV) sign.

Since 1991, AgrAbility of Wisconsin has been promoting success in agriculture for farmers with disabilities and their families. AgrAbility of Wisconsin is a partnership between the UW-Madison Division of Extension and Easterseals Wisconsin.

To learn more, contact: agrability@wisc.edu or visit agrability.bse.wisc.edu.

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AgrAbility Summit Image (.jpg)

Veterinarian survives near-fatal cattle chute injuries, shares safety warning

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:11:26 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2025

CONTACT:

Scott Heiberger
Heiberger.Scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Veterinarian survives near-fatal cattle chute injuries, shares safety warning

Eric Knock’s near-fatal injuries have mostly healed, but his approach to safety is changed forever.

In September 2022, the Miller, S.D., veterinarian was working with a crew in a producer’s pasture. As Knock finished treating a bull, he stood up next to the chute. At that moment, the squeeze gate on the chute was released to free the bull, causing Knock’s skull to become pinched between the chute frame and squeeze mechanism. Knock survived significant injuries and is now sharing his ordeal at tellingthestoryproject.org/eric.

Knock’s story is the latest of 15 such incidents shared with Telling the Story Project, which embeds injury-prevention messages directly into these firsthand accounts, transforming them into powerful educational tools. The project is a collaboration between three agricultural safety and health centers funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) -- the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, and the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety – as well as the National Farm Medicine Center.

Although Knock didn’t lose consciousness, he doesn’t recall details of the incident, nor being airlifted to the hospital.

“I didn’t need surgery, but I had several skull fractures,” he said. “Doctors used words like ‘extensive’ and ‘many.’ None of the fractures were displaced. If that had happened, the outcome could have been much more serious.”

Knock spent 12 days in the hospital and then months afterward recovering from bleeding on the brain, nerve damage affecting an eye, and severe damage to his middle ear and eardrum, which required surgery.

Since the incident, Knock takes a few crucial seconds to assess his environment before he starts working.

“I’m more aware of where everyone is while we’re working,” he said. “I pay close attention to pinch points on equipment, so I recognize the hazards to myself and fellow workers. We all know there are dangers when we work around large animals and equipment. This incident has intensified our understanding of what can happen.”

The Telling the Story Project motto is, "Tell a story, save a life," reflecting its mission to inspire change through personal stories.

“By sharing these personal stories, we hope to encourage farmers, farm workers, and ranchers to adopt safer practices in their work,” said Ellen Duysen, project team member, Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health.

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Eric Knock sits on a stool near the cattle shoot that nearly took his life as he shares his story.

Image (.jpg)

Farmworker Housing and Firefighters: Dec. 6 webinar

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:29:40 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 3, 2024

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Farmworker Housing and Firefighters: Dec. 6 webinar

Farmworker housing poses unique challenges to rural fire departments in terms of both fire code inspections and emergency response. Furthermore, many first responders are unaware of the various mandates surrounding farmworker housing.

A free webinar, noon-1 p.m. (Central Time) on Dec. 6, will introduce firefighters, other first responders, and health and safety professionals to incident prevention and emergency response considerations, and increase understanding about farmworkers and relevant housing standards so that the agricultural community can better engage in risk mitigation and emergency pre-planning activities.

The webinar is being co-hosted by the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH) team at the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wis.; and the National Center for Farmworker Health. The webinar is free but registration is required. To register, and for more information, visit Farmworker Housing and Firefighters Webinar – RF-DASH

Speakers include:

Casper Bendixsen, director, National Farm Medicine Center
Bethany Alcauter, director, Research and Public Health Programs, National Center for Farmworker Health
Aaron Andre, fire prevention coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Kathryn Mueller, chief, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program and Planning Section, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Dennis Dederich, chief, Vesper Volunteer Fire Department
Jerry Minor, chief, Pittsville Fire Company

There are approximately 2.9 million agricultural workers in the United States, including seasonal and migrant farmworkers. It is estimated that nearly a third of farmworkers live in crowded housing conditions and as many as 15 percent live in employer-provided housing.

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Farmworkers in onion field (.jpg)

Slow Moving Vehicle signs, Free for farmers via AgrAbility of Wisconsin

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:26:52 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 12, 2024

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Slow Moving Vehicle signs, Free for farmers via AgrAbility of Wisconsin

Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) signs are being distributed to Wisconsin farmers free of charge through an expanded partnership involving Marshfield Clinic Research Institute’s National Farm Medicine Center and AgrAbility of Wisconsin.

“This special partnership is providing SMV signs to some of Wisconsin’s most inspiring farmers -- current and potential AgrAbility clients with physical disabilities,” said Jeff Kratochwill, Program Director-FARM & Vocational Services, Easter Seals Wisconsin Farm Program. “Since being involved in this project, we have been able to distribute the SMV signs to farmers throughout Wisconsin to assist with this very important issue and help avoid a preventable injury.”

If interested in learning more about AgrAbility of Wisconsin, or requesting a sign, please call (608) 262-9336 or visit https://agrability.bse.wisc.edu/contact-us/.

“It’s great to see growing attention of agricultural safety on our public roadways and is especially rewarding to be able to collaborate with the AgrAbility of Wisconsin program in this way,” said Bryan Weichelt, SMV program lead and Farm Medicine research scientist.

The SMV program partnership also includes Rural Mutual Insurance Co., H&S Manufacturing and Nasonville Dairy.

Operators of the farm tractors and equipment should be aware that the slow-moving vehicle triangle should be placed in the center of the back end of the vehicle, located two to six feet above the road, and kept clean and replaced when faded. Each piece of agricultural equipment, whether self-propelled or used in combination, must separately display the required emblems. It is illegal to put slow-moving vehicle emblems on stationary objects – such as mailboxes or driveway posts.

For more information about lighting and marking recommendations and regulations for agricultural equipment in Wisconsin, visit www.uwmadison.box.com/v/LightingAndMarking2023.

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Farm Equipment with SMV Emblem (.jpg)

SMV Emblem (.jpg)

Register now for Agriculture Rescue Training, Oct. 25-26

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 17:00:42 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 2, 2024

CONTACT:
Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Register now for Agriculture Rescue Training, Oct. 25-26

Midwest first responders urged to attend final training in Marshfield, Wis.

Emergency responders face unique, high-risk challenges on farms, including toxic atmospheres, enclosed spaces, managing animals under stress and machinery entanglements.

“The severity of incidents on farms is such that they may be low frequency, but when they happen, they are high risk,” said Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., director, National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute.

Registration is open for the final Agriculture Rescue Training event, Oct. 25-26, in Marshfield, Wis. The program is designed to supplement basic emergency training for emergency medical technicians and rescue personnel. The National Farm Medicine Center is partnering with Pittsville Fire Co., Life Link III Air Medical Transport, Heiman Holsteins, Heeg Farms Inc., and Marshfield Clinic Health System.

The training will feature live presentations the evening of Friday, Oct. 25, followed by Saturday’s full-day, hands-on training in farm rescue scenarios.

“We will also be offering again this year a separate train-the-trainer course designed to equip participants with in-depth knowledge on how to organize and conduct their very own Agriculture Rescue Training,” said Pittsville Fire Chief Jerry Minor.

A bonus event, Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH), will be offered Thursday, Oct. 24.

Participants can choose to attend Ag Rescue Training, Train-the-Trainer, RF-DASH, or any combination of the three events. See the combined registration page for details.

Farming is one of the most hazardous occupations in the U.S., with people who work in agriculture being 8-10 times more likely to die on the job than the average U.S. worker. Emergency responders experience fatality rates 3-4 times higher than the average worker with 88,000 rural firefighters injured each year.

Agriculture Rescue Training was revived in 2021 after a two-decade lull, thanks to philanthropic support from the Auction of Champions. Nearly 250 emergency responders representing 81 fire departments have participated, including 34 emergency responders who have trained to be instructors. Initial trainings by the National Farm Medicine Center began in 1981, and ultimately involved 1,400 men and women from across Wisconsin.

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE OCT. 11: Early bird registration closes a the end of Oct. 11. Registration fees for all events will be waived for Extension faculty and staff, and technical college instructors. Please contact Jakob Hanschu (hanschu.jakob@marshfieldresearch.org) to receive a code to waive your fee.

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Agricultural Rescue Training Rescuing Dummy from Tractor Rollover (.jpg)

Agricultural Rescue Training Rescuing Dummy from Tractor Rollover 2 (.jpg)

Slow Moving Vehicle signs available free for Wisconsin farmers

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 13:25:15 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 3, 2024

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Slow Moving Vehicle signs available free for Wisconsin farmers

Project intended to increase visibility of agricultural equipment on public roadways

To raise safety awareness and potentially save lives, Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) signs are being distributed to farmers free of charge through an expanded partnership involving Marshfield Clinic Research Institute’s National Farm Medicine Center, Rural Mutual Insurance Co., H&S Manufacturing, and Nasonville Dairy.

The Wisconsin SMV Program, introduced in early 2023, is being re-launched with more participating businesses including machinery repair shops, fire departments, lenders, and feed cooperatives.

“We are off to a new start, and excited to see growing interest in agricultural safety on our public roadways,” said Bryan Weichelt, SMV program lead and Farm Medicine research scientist. “We are especially thankful for our financial supporters.”

SMV signs are available at the following businesses (while supplies last):

Allied Cooperative (formerly known as ProVision Partners) locations at:
- Adams NAPA
- Arcadia
- Auburndale
- Hixton
- Mauston NAPA
- Plover Agronomy
- Seymour Feed Mill
- Stratford Feed Mill and Tire Center
- Tomah Country Store
- West Salem Feed Mill
River Country Cooperative locations at:
- Athens
- Bloomer
- Boyd
- Chippewa Falls
- Marathon
- Owen
Marathon Feed in Marathon
Partners Bank, Stratford-Marshfield-Spencer
Pittsville Fire Company
Stratford Fire Department
Auburndale High School FFA, contact Mark Cournoyer

In addition, Rural Mutual will distribute signs on social media in May and at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, August 13-15, in Cadott. For a listing of distribution sites, please visit: www.marshfieldresearch.org/nfmc/smv

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there were 136 crashes involving motorists and farm vehicles in Wisconsin in 2022. The most recent Wisconsin Farm Related Fatalities reports show roadway deaths accounted for 15 percent of all farm-related fatalities (6 out of 40) in 2019 while in 2020 they accounted for 18 percent of fatalities (5 out of 28).

A SMV sign is a reflective orange triangle bordered with red that warns other road users that the vehicle displaying the sign is traveling slower than the normal speed of traffic.

“It’s imperative that farmers make their equipment as visible as possible on public roadways through the SMV emblem and functional lighting systems that include flashers and turn signals,” said John Shutske, University of Wisconsin professor and agricultural safety & health specialist. Shutske has investigated hundreds of tragic farm-related incidents in multiple states during the past four decades.

“We owe it to our fellow motorists,” added Weichelt. “Just like you’d have working taillights on your pickup or minivan, we should be well marked and lighted in farm equipment, too. This program is here to help folks get their hands on free SMV emblems across the state of Wisconsin.”

If interested in supporting the program financially or as a distribution site, please contact the Farm Medicine SMV team at nfmcsh@marshfieldresearch.org.

For more information about lighting and marking recommendations and regulations for agricultural equipment in Wisconsin, visit: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/LightingAndMarking2023

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Farm Equipment with SMV Emblem (.jpg)

SMV Emblem (.jpg)

Call for Papers: Safety and health in commercial fishing, aquaculture

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:49:22 GMT

CALL FOR PAPERS

Special Issue: Safety and Health in Commercial Fishing, Aquaculture, and Seafood Processing

BACKGROUND

In January 2024, more than 160 occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers, safety professionals, industry members and students from nearly 30 countries gathered at FAO headquarters in Rome for The 6th International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference (IFISH 6). Based on the amazing work presented and the partnerships which developed as a result of the conference, the IFISH organizing committee has asked the Journal of Agromedicine to publish a special issue on the topic of OSH in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing.

INSTRUCTIONS

The Journal invites submissions of original research and editorials of work either presented at IFISH 6 or relevant to the OSH topics of the IFISH 6 conference. Topics should directly discuss issues pertaining to OSH in fishing, aquaculture or seafood processing. Manuscripts discussing small-scale fisheries, high-risk maritime populations, novel interventions and strategic partnerships are encouraged.

For submission instructions, please see “Instructions for authors” on the Journal’s website. Manuscripts must be submitted via the Taylor & Francis' Submission Portal by September 15, 2024. Peer review will be completed during late 2024/early 2025. The anticipated publication date is April 2025.

QUESTIONS?

Email our general mailbox, agromedicine@marshfieldresearch.org

Or contact any of the core editorial team:

Jennifer Lincoln, jlincoln@cdc.gov
KC Elliott, kelliott@cdc.gov
Julie Sorensen, sorensen@bassett.org
Florence Poulain, poulain@fao.org

‘Turning tragedy into opportunity’

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:21:26 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 20, 2024

CONTACT:

Scott Heiberger
Heiberger.Scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-389-7541

Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

‘Turning tragedy into opportunity’

Nebraska woman honors dad’s memory by helping workers, farmers stay safe around grain

Cadrien Livingston was just 10 years old when her dad, Craig, died in a grain bin incident on their northeast Nebraska ranch.

“Four days after we lost Dad, Mom and I sat down at the kitchen table,” said Cadrien, now 25. “She explained to me that we needed to make some tough decisions.”

Decisions such as whether to stay on the ranch, or sell it and move to town and get a job.

“As Mom and I talked, I knew I wanted my sisters to have the same opportunities I had to grow up and enjoy ranch life,” Cadrien said. “It was also important to me and Mom to keep Dad’s legacy going.”

Today, the 88 Ranch is thriving, and Cadrien provides grain handling safety training as a regional safety manager for Viterra. Her LinkedIn page features the phrase, “Turning tragedy into opportunity.”

“I want Dad’s life to count for more than just how he died,” Cadrien said. “It’s important to me to share his story every time I can, and do everything possible to make sure no other families have to go through this kind of experience.”

Read “Craig’s Story” at the Telling the Story Project website, a collaboration of three agricultural safety centers funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The project’s stories weave injury prevention messages into first-hand accounts of farmers and others impacted by agricultural trauma incidents.

Participating centers include: Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (Nebraska); National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety; and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (Minnesota).

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Craig Livingston with wife Valerie and daughters (from left) Cassie, Cadrien and Carlee.

Craig Livingston and oldest daughter Cadrien.

UW grant to boost NFMC agriculture safety training program for rural fire and EMS

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:01:01 GMT

A University of Wisconsin grant will help the National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC) double the number of rural Wisconsin fire and EMS departments that receive training in order to better plan for and prevent agricultural emergencies.

The UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) awarded NFMC Director Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., an Evidence to Implementation (E2I) pilot award of $75,000 as part of its efforts to advance safety in agricultural work.

NFMC developed the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program in 2016 to conduct training on agricultural emergencies, including mapping of local farms, analyzing agricultural hazards, performing first aid on farms, and approaching the farm community. The program has certified 78 fire and EMS trainers across 10 states and five Canadian provinces, including 30 Wisconsin fire and EMS departments under principal investigator Dr. Bendixsen's direction.

The E2I award will allow RF-DASH to have trainees in at least 60 Wisconsin departments, doubling the program's reach. At least two trainees will be engaged in departments that are predominantly of the Plain community, which can include Amish and Mennonite people, among others.

“The RF-DASH program is an example of ICTR's efforts to not only improve the health and wellbeing of rural community residents but also to do so with intense community involvement," Dr. Bendixsen said. “From the ground up, farmers and firefighters have worked alongside researchers to get us to this point. The RF-DASH team is grateful for ICTR's support to further implement the program in more Wisconsin communities."

The award also will support improvement of the program's materials and websites www.rfdash.org, www.saferfarm.org, and www.farmmapper.org as well as refresher courses for previous trainees with updated information based on new risk assessment and reduction guidelines. The award will help the program to develop a sustainable payment model for trainings, refresher courses, and other resources that will be affordable to rural fire departments while also generating revenue to sustain the program in the long term.

Fire and EMS personnel practice for a farm emergency during an RF-DASH training.

Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program re-launched

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:42:36 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 25, 2024

CONTACT: Scott Heiberger
Heiberger.Scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

CONTACT: Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.Melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program re-launched

Oneida County farmer glad he made the call

The Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program has announced new funding and a new reimbursement scheme limiting farmers’ out-of-pocket expenses to $500, no matter the total cost of purchasing, shipping and installing a rollover protective structure.

The rebate program is run by the National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute and is made possible through generous philanthropic support from the Auction of Champions. More than 340 ROPS have been installed through the program since its inception in 2013.

“We’re pleased to announce a recent increase in donor funding, which will enable us to start working through our wait list,” said Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., director of the National Farm Medicine Center.

Oneida County farmer John Engel, 58, started the New Year by retrofitting his John Deere 3020 through the program. Engel will pay just $472 out-of-pocket (after a rebate of $1,101, or 70 percent of the total cost).

The JD 3020 was Engel’s only tractor (out of six) without rollover protection, which gnawed at him.

“Due to the nature of our work, it’s not unusual to take a person who has never driven a tractor before, and set them on this particular tractor to maybe rake straw or something, because the 3020 doesn’t require a huge amount of skill to operate,” Engel said.

He said he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if a hired person or family member suffered a rollover-related injury while driving this tractor.

“The first tractor I owned was a Farmall B (built in the 1940s) and my daughter, who was probably 14 at the time, liked to drive it,” Engel said. “Well one day she popped a wheelie with it and that scared me. At that point I said, hmm, I personally might take that risk but I am not going to put somebody else on a tractor that doesn’t have that rollover protection and a seat belt, because one doesn’t do any good without the other. I got rid of that tractor.”

Tractor overturns are the leading cause of farm-related deaths in the U.S. That’s why it’s so important that each tractor have a ROPS. A ROPS, when used with a seatbelt, is 99 percent effective in preventing injury or death in the event of an overturn.

More than half the tractors in Wisconsin do not have this protection. ROPS did not become standard on U.S.-manufactured tractors until 1985.

Riesterer & Schnell in Antigo performed Engel’s retrofit. “They got me in really fast and did a nice job on the installation,” he said. “They made it very easy.”

Engel grew up in Leon, Wis., near Sparta, in the hilly region of the state known as the Driftless Area. He did a lot of farm work as a youth. “My grandmother was pretty good at volunteering me to help neighboring farmers.”

Engel, trained as a chemist, has made a career in the paper industry, first with the Rhinelander paper mill and for the past decade with Loparex, a North Carolina-based paper and film-coating company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1988 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a Ph.D. in 1993 from Iowa State University.

But farming is in his blood. He returned to farming more than 13 years ago. Today, with his partner, Rodney Kuczmarski, they farm about 600 acres of row crops near Rhinelander, primarily small grains such as oats, barley and rye, with soybeans and corn rotated in.

Engel said in some ways his operation, Engel’s Buckwood Acres, LLC, feels like a CSA (community-supported agriculture), growing particular grains to sell to area horse and livestock owners. “And we’ll trade barley to the guy down the road who raises heritage pigs in exchange for some of his pork. That way we get to taste our own hard work.”

The 3020 is at the heart of a lot of the work, being used to run a grain auger, pull wagons and rake straw.

“We make a lot of bales, three to four thousand a year,” Engel said. “Baling straw is my favorite thing to do. It’s a big reason why I got back into farming. The weather is good when you bale and you’re working with real good people and so it’s those fond memories I find attractive.”

From now on, those memories will be made a little safer, thanks to the ROPS.

Wisconsin tractor owners can register for the program via the hotline, 1-877-767-7748 (1-877-ROPSR4U), or the Web site, www.ropsr4u.com.

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John Deere 3020 belonging to Oneida County farmer John Engel with a newly-installed rollover protective structure (ROPS). The Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program will cover 70 percent of the cost. Riesterer & Schnell in Antigo did the work. (Photo provided by John Engel.)

3020 with new ROPS (.jpg)

Oneida County farmer John Engel sits atop his John Deere 3020, retrofitted with a rollover protective structure through the Wisconsin ROPS Rebate Program. The rebate will cover 70 percent of the total cost. Riesterer & Schnell in Antigo performed Engel’s retrofit. (Photo provided by John Engel.)

John on 3020 with new ROPS (.jpg)

Slow Moving Vehicle signs available to Wisconsin farmers

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:17:13 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 3, 2023

CONTACT:
Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Slow Moving Vehicle signs available to Wisconsin farmers

Project intended to increase visibility of agricultural traffic on roadways

Harvest season is underway in Wisconsin, when motorists and farmers encounter each other more often on our public roadways.

To raise safety awareness and potentially save lives during this busy time of year, Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) signs are being distributed to farmers free of charge through a partnership involving Marshfield Clinic Research Institute’s National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC), Rural Mutual Insurance Company, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program, the family of Mike Biadasz and the Auction of Champions.

Limited quantities of SMV signs are available now at Marathon Feed in Marathon, and Allied Cooperative (formerly known as ProVision Partners) in Stratford, Auburndale and Hixton.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, there were 136 crashes involving motorists and farm vehicles in Wisconsin last year. This resulted in 50 injuries and two deaths. The most recent Wisconsin Farm Related Fatalities reports show roadway deaths accounted for 15 percent of all farm-related fatalities (6 out of 40) in 2019 while in 2020 they accounted for 18 percent of fatalities (5 out of 28).

An SMV sign is a reflective orange triangle bordered with red that warns other road users that the vehicle displaying the sign is traveling slower than the normal speed of traffic.

The SMV distribution program is expected to sustain through 2024, as supplies last. “We’re so glad to see such broad interest in agricultural safety on our public roadways, and are encouraged by the growing support and partnerships across the state, from Fire/EMS to farmers to feed mills,” said Bryan Weichelt, SMV program lead and Farm Medicine research scientist. If interested in supporting the program financially or as a distribution site, please contact the Farm Medicine team at nfmcsh@marshfieldresearch.org.

For more information about lighting and marking recommendations and regulations for agricultural equipment in Wisconsin, visit: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/LightingAndMarking2023

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Slow Moving Vehicle Emblem (.jpg)

Agriculture Rescue Training set for Oct. 20-21 in Marshfield

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:38:52 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 27, 2023

CONTACT:
Scott Heiberger
heiberger.scott@marshfieldresearch.org
715-207-1604

Melissa Ploeckelman
Ploeckelman.melissa@marshfieldresearch.org
715-240-0900

Agriculture Rescue Training set for Oct. 20-21 in Marshfield

Train-the-trainer program leads to successful workshops across Wisconsin

The Agriculture Rescue Training program is spreading the word about farm safety and the hazards that emergency responders might face.

Agriculture Rescue Training, or ART, will be held Oct. 20-21, in Marshfield. Registration is open on the AGRESCUE.org website. In its third year, the training familiarizes emergency personnel with the emergencies they may face on farms or other agricultural settings.

Emergency responders face unique, high-risk situations on farms, including toxic atmospheres, enclosed spaces, managing animals under stress and machinery entrapments. That is why the National Farm Medicine Center, in partnership with Pittsville Fire Company, Life Link III, Heiman’s Holsteins, Heeg Farms Inc., and Marshfield Clinic Health System, is presenting the training, which is designed to supplement basic emergency training.

New to ART this year is large animal technical rescue. This workshop will give participants multiple skills and techniques to safely contain, approach and manipulate downed large animals in emergency situations. The workshop will also provide techniques to manage animals in more complicated situations.

Last year, organizers began offering a one-day separate train-the-trainer program so participants could take the training model to their communities.

“It’s beyond just the training in Marshfield, it’s spreading its wings and expanding,” said ART coordinator Kyle Koshalek, a project manager at National Farm Medicine Center, which helps host the annual event in Marshfield. Folks from around the country and Canada are interested in attending, he said, to expand the training beyond Wisconsin’s borders. In addition, the U.S. Army Urban Search and Rescue School expressed interest in attending this year, he said.

“Rural communities see these kinds of things,” Koshalek said, such as tractor rollovers and equipment extraction. ART has trained more than 214 attendees in two years with 89 departments represented. After the first year, participants began asking about training they could take back to their departments. “A lot of departments have their own training instructors,” he said.

Koshalek is aware of two large-scale, successful trainings offered based on the Marshfield ART training: Cambria Fire Department and Tisch Mills/University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. “Both mirrored our training with a lot of departments in the area,” he said.

Cambria hosts training

Cambria hosted 32 students from Columbia and Dodge counties at a two-day training in April.

“The best thing about this training was the positive response we got from the participants,” said Ryan Hart, assistant chief for the Cambria Fire Department. “There were so many of them that have always felt that there was a need for this in our area, they just never knew where to go for it or who to contact.”

Hart attended an ag rescue class in West Bend during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caught his interest because of the ag-related activity in his area. When ART hosted the first training in 2021, Hart attended and talked to organizers about doing his own training.

Cambria followed the format the ART program used, with a Friday evening session for speakers covering farm-related trauma, grain rescues and a silo rescue where the victim was pinned inside of a Harvester silo, and Saturday hands-on workshops on farm familiarization, tractor rollover, equipment extrication and grain entrapment rescue.

“We also had a local towing company attend for a quick demonstration over lunch with their large rotator tow truck. They set it up and did a demonstration of their capabilities to lift and roll a tractor in mid-air,” Hart said.

“It was a lot of planning and work, but in the end, it was a very successful event. I am very proud of the members of my department that helped with all aspects of the day,” he said.

Train-the-trainer continues

The train-the-trainer program was offered in 2022 and will be offered this year, as well, during the day on Friday, Oct. 20. Registration is open on Agrescue.org.

Seventeen attendees took the course the first year, which also included the classroom and hands-on sessions with the rest of the ART participants.

“It doesn’t go into how to do a rescue. That’s what the workshops are for. This is ‘How do you organize a training like this?’”, Koshalek said. They talk about cost of the training, equipment for the workshops, where to get it and what you need to think about when training others, he said.

“As an instructor, what do you need to know to effectively train others on each workshop?”

After the pilot session, organizers received evaluations from trainees that they were very likely to recommend it, that the training was very helpful and vital, Koshalek said. The ART train-the-trainer course is limited to 20 participants.

More training planned

Hart received positive response from the attendees at their Cambria training. “Many were glad to have an actual hands-on training. There is an abundance of online and web-based training, but very little hands-on type training,” he said.

Cambria plans to offer ag rescue training again. Following the ART model, they emailed a review and comment sheet to participants and learned that students were trained to remove a victim from the grain but not how to get them out of the grain bin, if that’s where they were located. Cambria plans to offer an advanced grain rescue class in the near future.

“The way these topics are taught, they can easily be remembered, and participants can bring their new knowledge back to their department,” Hart said. “Every farm is different and has different hazards. Most farmers are willing to let you as a fire department come do a walk-through of their operation if you ask and explain why you want to tour with them.”

The Jones Family Farm hosted Cambria’s hands-on event. “Dennis, Jeff, Melissa, Greg, Jill, Morgan and Owen were our first choice to connect with on hosting. Right from our first meeting with the family, they were all in and so excited for this,” Hart said.

Clover Hill Dairy in Campbellsport donated a tractor for the event. Justin and Shawn Breg from Pardeeville donated an old John Deere combine, a corn head for a combine and an old junk tractor used for the rollover. Other donors gave money for the meal and to provide lodging for the instructors: UWGP in Friesland, Wieser Concrete in Portage and Sam's Well Drilling in Randolph.

The fire departments that attended were Cambria, Friesland, Pardeeville, Columbus, Rio, Randolph, Lodi, Portage, Fall River and Wyocena.

Register now

For more information about the upcoming Marshfield workshop, contact Chief Jerry Minor (pfd911@tds.net) or Kyle Koshalek (koshalek.kyle@marshfieldresearch.org, 715-389-3786).

Fire departments that send three or more personnel to the training will receive a free, four-gas monitor courtesy of the Mike Biadasz Farm Safety and Education Memorial Fund.

By Mystique Macomber

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The 2023 Agricultural Rescue Training will be held Oct. 20-21 in Marshfield.
Trucks (.jpg)

Emergency responders practice equipment extrication at the 2022 Agricultural Rescue Training in Marshfield.
Equipment Extraction (.jpg)

Response to tractor overturns will be one of the workshops featured during Agricultural Rescue Training, Oct. 20-21, in Marshfield.
Tractor Rollover (.jpg)