UMASH brings health, safety and wellness focus to Farm Bureau Financial Services exhibition at Farmfest

Agricultural safety and health resources will be a continued focus of a new exhibition space at this year’s Farmfest.

Farm Bureau Financial Services and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health will provide Farmfest’s 30,000 attendees with critical health, safety and wellness resources during Minnesota’s annual agricultural trade show, held August 6-8 in Redwood County, Minn.

The Farm Bureau Financial Services Wellness and Safety Pavilion will feature live farm safety and rescue demonstrations; up-to-date agricultural safety and health information from more than 20 exhibitors; and free health screenings offered by the Mayo Clinic Health System in Springfield, the HealthFair11 Healthmobile and the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

The pavilion’s featured activities include:

• Daily live safety and rescue demonstrations including a grain bin rescue, tractor rollover rescue, ATV rollover simulator and power take off (PTO) safety demonstration;
• Free health screenings, including blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), glucose, cholesterol and skin cancer;
• More than 20 exhibitors who will offer relevant safety and health information for farmers, farm families and workers. These exhibits will focus on topics such as healthy living; mental health and wellbeing; youth and families; business, equipment and roadway safety; and injury response.

"As a company rooted in agriculture, it’s important to us to protect livelihoods and futures. We’re pleased to bring invaluable safety and health resources to Farmfest attendees,” said Farm Bureau Financial Services Marketing Communications Vice President Nancy Wiles.

“Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries for working professionals, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries, and farming is one of the few industries in which family members, who often share the work and live on the premises, are also at risk,” UMASH Research Coordinator Diane Kampa said.

“UMASH is committed to providing research, education and outreach to improve the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families in the Upper Midwest region. Farmfest provides an ideal forum for us to serve Minnesota’s farmers and agricultural professionals and equip them with the skills they need to keep themselves and others safe on the job.”

Learn more about the Wellness and Safety Pavilion, and see a full list of events and exhibitors, here.

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