Surveillance of Agricultural Injuries in the Central States Regions

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH) will conduct high quality research and translate scientific discoveries into practical applications to reduce the burden of injury and illness among farmers, ranchers, workers, and their families. The Center has high scientific and technical competency, and it is forward looking. CS-CASH with a strong network of collaborators provides regional leadership in research and outreach. The Center takes advantage of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's (UNMC) strengths in public health research and strong institutional support. Research teams from several states and institutions bring multi-disciplinary expertise and access to special populations. With our advisors and partners, we can leverage the Center's resources to address local, regional, and national issues. CS-CASH has built a cohesive approach that links evaluation, planning, research, and outreach to reduce agricultural occupational injury and illness. The Center's Evaluation and Planning Core provides strategic direction, administration, and evaluation for the Center, and it responds to emerging issues. The Research Core conducts basic, intervention, translation, and surveillance research, and manages pilot/feasibility projects with substantial in-kind support from UNMC. The research themes focus on safety and health in row crop and livestock production, and surveillance of injuries, illnesses, exposures, and related costs. The specific projects titles are: Exposome and organic dust-induced lung injury; Safety of agricultural machinery ingress/egress for aging producers; Impact of stress among Latino immigrant workers; Respiratory health in poultry production: exposures, health effects, and options for protection; Community-based training network to enhance bison worker safety on tribal lands; Safety climate and culture in the cattle feedyard industry; and Surveillance of agricultural injury, illness, and stress in the Central States region. The Outreach Core uses a multi-faceted approach in reaching out to target populations, promoting the Center's themes in `boots-on-the-ground' events, and communication through traditional and social media. The Center has a special emphasis on vulnerable populations: women, young farmers, aging farmers, veteran farmers, Latino immigrant workers, and Native American workers. CS-CASH partners with neighboring Centers to identify synergies, utilize our collective strengths, and avoid duplication of efforts. CS-CASH is well-established with a clear vision, mission, strategy, organization, and service area. With the new proposed lines of research and outreach, the Center is well positioned to serve the Center's seven-state region and make an impact in reducing agricultural injury and illness during the 2022-2027 funding cycle.