Summary: Avian Influenza is a disease caused by viruses that can infect birds and people. Avian influenza viruses are routinely present in wild bird species and can be transmitted to backyard and commercial poultry, but very rarely to people. This presentation will focus on understanding the current state of the avian influenza outbreak in the US and provide recommendations for personal protective equipment for people who work with poultry and poultry products.

Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to...

• Describe avian influenza and how it can be transmitted between birds
• Identify appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to use when working with exposed or ill animals
• Recognize the human signs and symptoms that may indicate an avian influenza exposure
• Access evidence-based health & safety resources focused on safe practices when working around potential animal-borne diseases

Intended Audience: Ag producers, farmers, poultry workers, veterinarians, healthcare providers, and anyone with exposure to poultry or other birds

This webinar is offered in English with Spanish interpretation, provided courtesy of the National Center for Farmworker Health.

Summary: Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries, and farming is one of few industries in which family members (who often share the work and live on the premises) are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. ATVs and UTVs are found on all types of farms; they are useful for agricultural work, but they also pose serious hazards to operators and passengers. Studies indicate that injured ATV/UTV passengers are more commonly female and youth and that helmet use is significantly lower for passengers. The focus of the training would be on ATV/UTV maintenance and safety features, personal protective equipment (PPE), load and weight considerations, operation on public roadways, as well as employee training and considerations for working alone.

Intended Audience: Producers- This training is intended primarily for agricultural producers, including but not limited to farmers, ranchers, and any person or persons involved in some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock.

This material was produced under grant number SH-05068-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Summary: Changing climate, market conditions, and many other factors impact the work and health of livestock producers, ranchers, and farmers. When a natural disaster is added on top of other stressors, support from a variety of sources is needed. This webinar will focus on the USDA Disaster Assistance Programs available to support producers who are raising livestock.

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…
1. Understand the options available to Livestock producers through USDA Disaster Assistance programs
2. Explore the timeline and process requirements for participation in these programs
3. Summarize the program benefits to farmer/rancher mental and financial health

Intended Audience: Livestock producers, ranchers, farmers, ag safety and health professionals

Continuing Education:

The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.10 CEU or 1.0 contact hour/s of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Continuing Education: The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.10 CEU or 1.0 contact hour/s of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

The AgriSafe Nurse Scholar program is a distance learning opportunity available to rural nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse educators. Education and training, provided by experienced health & safety educators will enable rural nurses to increase their knowledge base in the prevention, identification, and assessment of diseases related to agricultural work exposures. Nurses who complete this course will be eligible for 20 hours of continuing nursing education provided by the University of Louisiana Lafayette.

The Nurse Scholar program provides flexibility to earn your CNE contact hours. Classes are in the form of webinars that can be viewed OnDemand (your own time). 

The AgriSafe Nurse Scholar course including all content, testing, and evaluation must be completed by March 15, 2023.

Email nursescholar@agrisafe.org with any questions.

This program is supported by:

Summary: Owning heirs’ property and experiencing the challenges that accompany this means of owning property can have a negative impact on the mental health and well-being of farmers and landowners. These impacts can be especially felt by individuals who make their living from the land. This webinar will help heirs’ property owners and the professionals who support them to understand the challenges that heirs’ property owners face, identify paths toward clearing title, and learn strategies for preventing the occurrence of heirs’ property in the future.

Objectives: Following the session, the learner will be able to….
1.  Identify when heirs’ property may be present
2. Understand the challenges and stressors that can result from owning heirs’ property
3. Identify potential solutions to addressing heirs’ property ownership
4. Propose potential strategies to minimize the occurrence of heirs’ property through estate planning

Continuing Education: The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.10 CEU or 1.0 contact hour/s of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Continuing Education: The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.10 CEU or 1.0 contact hour/s of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Summary: Veterans have a long history of service to our country through military service and through agriculture. The 2017 USDA report added a new special category of producers: “Producers with Military Service”. This report identified that 370,019 men and women agriculture producers claimed the title of US veteran, with 294,974 of them having spent more than 10 years on their farm. Recently much attention has highlighted veterans’ participation in farming. With this new attention, it is important to understand the unique characteristics and needs of those veterans. 

Registered nurses will be able address the needs of veteran farmers with a clearer understanding of the veteran experience compounded by the stress of farming and link veteran farmers to importance resources that support and build provider-client relationships and client resilience

Objectives:
The learner will be able to:

• Outline the unique challenges that veterans face when returning from service to build a career in agriculture.
• Utilize resources that are available to veterans that provide support for their unique challenges.

Intended Audience: 
All healthcare professionals, health and safety professionals, veteran healthcare administrators, farm/ranch owner and operators, public health, agricultural professionals working in academia, business or production, organizations working with veteran farmers, veterans and veteran groups. 

Continuing Education:

The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.1 CEU or 1.0 contact hours of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others.  Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Continuing Education :

The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.1 CEU or 1.0 contact hours of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others.  Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Continuing Nursing Education Information:

• Faculty and planners of this educational activity have disclosed that they have NO conflicts of interest related to this program.
• There will be NO discussion of off-label use of products for purposes other than what was approved by the FDA.
• This program has NO commercial support
• To receive the 1.0 contact hours, you must watch the entire program, complete and pass the post-test, complete the post-program evaluation

Summary: Agriculture is a hazardous industry associated with many occupational injuries and diseases. Workers may be exposed to various types of occupational hazards simultaneously, possibly increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical for ensuring a safe working environment in agriculture. It is essential to utilize PPE that meets safety standards, is appropriate for your work, and is the proper fit. PPE is often designed with men in mind, making adequate fit and function problematic for women in agriculture.

This training will address the different hazards in agricultural work and the appropriate PPE for women. Additionally, this training will review how to conduct both a respirator fit test and a fit check (seal check) procedure. This presentation aims to guide the selection and effectiveness of PPE worn by women in the agricultural field.

Intended Audience: Producers – This training is intended primarily for agricultural producers, including but not limited to farmers, ranchers, and any person or persons involved in some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock.

This material was produced under grant number SH-05068-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

FarmResponse is a 3.5-hour continuing education course developed by national experts from the AgriStress Response Network. AgriSafe’s FarmResponse course provides the full range of competencies necessary to provide appropriate mental healthcare for agricultural producers and their families. This knowledge is critical for a healthcare professional to effectively care for a farmer’s total health.

The topics covered in FarmResponse include:

• The Total Farmer Health Model
• AgriBusiness Factors Impacting Mental Well Being
• Agriculture Work Factors
• Family Dynamics
• Agrarian Culture and Values
• Special Populations
• US Agricultural Producer Demographics
• Agricultural Community Healthcare Challenges
• Opioids and Alcohol Issues in Agriculture
• Suicide and Agriculture
• Resources and referrals

The on-demand content was developed in Articulate, an award-winning interactive virtual training product that meets the needs of e-learner’s professional development. FarmResponse will be housed in AgriSafe’s Learning Lab. The chapter format allows the learner to complete the course in chapter stages to meet the busy healthcare professionals’ time constraints.

We have ensured that the learning format meets the standards for professional development with learning objectives and required post-test. 

Continuing education is available for multiple disciplines, click here for more information.

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.35 CEU or 3.5 contact hours of participation. This course is eligible for 3.5 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional(CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Minnesota Medical Association and AgriSafe Network. The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Minnesota Medical Association designates this enduring series for a maximum of 3.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

FarmResponse was developed with the generous support of the following sponsors:

"I feel I learned a lot in each chapter. This was a very thorough training - well done!"

"This training was very easy to follow, very informative as well as actively engaging for the learner. I feel as if I have learned so much from this training program!"

Summary: Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is an effective nitrogen crop fertilizer used throughout the Midwest and beyond.  Anhydrous ammonia is potentially dangerous, as it seeks water from the nearest source, which may be the human body – especially the eyes, lungs, and skin because of their high moisture content.  Few problems occur when anhydrous ammonia is handled properly and applied as intended.  However, it is important for all individuals working with this type of fertilizer to understand the potential health risks, necessary safety precautions, and proper response in the event of an exposure.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the last lines of defense for workers against Anhydrous Ammonia injuries. Women in all industries, including agriculture, have trouble finding and purchasing respiratory protective equipment that fits and is safe and comfortable wear. The National Safety Council, in a 2019 publication of Safety and Health, reported OSHA documentation indicating the lack of a full range of PPE, as well as, employers’ limited knowledge of PPE designed for women – as some of the reasons for the difficulty.  Focus of the training is on anhydrous ammonia safety during transport and application, including the anatomy of the nurse tank and toolbar, safety inspection processes, hitching and unhitching safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), rural roadway safety, and first aid/emergency procedures.  Hazard communication and emergency action plans will also be addressed.

Intended Audience: Farm/Ranch owner and operators, health and safety professionals, safety officers or specialists, managers, supervisors, safety coordinators, health safety and environmental interns and any person or persons who serve as safety personnel in an agricultural setting.

Objectives: At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to...

• Identify the anatomy of a nurse tank and toolbar
• Choose appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Make use of a safety inspection process
• Describe safety measures to follow during anhydrous transport and application
• Apply rural roadway safety measures
• Describe hitching and unhitching safety
• Plan and utilize basic first aid/emergency procedures
• Locate hazard communication plan and emergency action plan resources

This material was produced under grant number SH-99084-SH0 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 

Summary: Pregnancy and fertility are often not considered when women assume farm tasks. Pesticide and other chemical exposures, zoonotic diseases and heavy lifting particularly during childbearing years, present challenges.

Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
- Identify unique exposures/risks associated with farm tasks.
- Identify at least four reproductive health and safety issues for women.
- Locate three current evidenced based resources in the field of agricultural health
- Develop Hazard Map of work exposures.
- Select appropriate PPE for farm tasks to reduce or eliminate exposures and or risks.

Intended Audience: Producers- This training is intended primarily for agricultural producers including but not limited to farmers, ranchers, and any person or persons involved in some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock.

This material was produced under grant number SH-05068-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.