Farm sustainability

1. “A Farm Safety Training Program on Human Risk Management for Dairy Producers using a Labor Force Including Hispanic Workers” A.D. Garcia1, T.E. Renelt1, C.Mondak2, and U. Francesa3. 1South Dakota State University, Brookings; 2Iowa State University, Ames; 3Private practice.

2. Milk price Climate Feed price Quality of Life Animal health Animal well-being environment Farm safety Farm sustainability • Solving the puzzle:

3. Upper Midwest Dairies • Consolidation into larger operations • Dairymen turned to businessmen/human resource managers • Hiring immigrant labor has become critical. • Employees with limited dairy experience.

4. Workers • >90% in large dairies are Latinos • Chores: from milking to middle management • They fill a need locals are not interested in • Sometimes involved in farm accidents

5. Inexperience • 44% of employees stay less than a year at a farm Grusenmeyer. 2004 • New, inexperienced worker an asset? • Allows owners to train according to their BMPs’ • Training reduces unnecessary risks

6. Hierarchy of Control • Controlling exposures to occupational hazards is critical to protect workers. • A hierarchy of controls has been used to determine how to implement feasible and effective controls.

7. Hierarchy of Control-National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health- • Elimination: i.e. Not using formaldehyde • Substitution: i.e. Use less-hazardous substance • Isolation: i.e. Keep chemicals in a lockable area • Personal protection equipment • Engineering controls: i.e. barrier worker/hazard • Administrative control:handling, training, signs • Monitoring and Health surveillance

8. Project 1.

9. Project 1: • Effort by the Extension Services of IA, MN, ND, NE, and SD • Funding: North Central Risk Management Education Center. • Dairy owners and supervisors training objectives: • Increase knowledge concerning effective employee training. • Incorporate farm safety practices in the dairy operation. • Increase knowledge and skills regarding farm safety. • Safety signage in adequate language is posted. • Evidence of first aid equipment and materials. • Evidence of safety sessions conducted with employees. • Engage in safe practices when using chemicals. • Practice safe cattle handling.

10. Objectives • Increase dairy owners and employee’s knowledge and awareness of safety risks, safe work practices, and resources for farm safety and well-being. • Encourage dairy owners to create a “culture of safety” on their farms as of their dairy operation. • Participants: 40 dairies in the I29 region, comprising a total of 556 employees and 63 owners.

11. Results – What Participants Learn, Achieve, Apply • Glossary of terms • Define the terms as used in this training

12. Topic One • Explain details • Give an example • Conduct exercises to reinforce learning

13. Project steps • Hire bilingual coordinator • Discuss content development • Survey to gauge specific needs for general content. • Recruit farms/schedule training. • Develop content for workshop • Customize manual: Dairy walk-through • Attend workshop: increase awareness. • Verify adoption of safety practices 6. Deliver workshops 1 and 2 7. Facilitate delivery of English and Spanish on-site training at 40 farms. 8. Provide follow-up on-site visits and assessments.

14. Supporting materials • Farm recruitment - Invitational flyer sent to producers in 4-state region. • Bilingual signage to be used at dairies - i.e. chemicals. • Article: “Safety risk areas on the dairy farm”. - Co-authored by ISU, UMN, UNL, and SDSU

15. More Information • List other training sessions • List books, articles, electronic sources • List consulting services, other sources

16. High Risk Areas in the Dairy • Falls, trips, and slips • The feeding alley • The silos • Hospital and the treated pen • The bulls • The traffic in the dairy • Employees housing Manure and toxic gases Driving machinery The milking parlor Working with the cows Power tools Dairy chemicals and veterinary drugs The First Aid Kit and First Response Person

17. Results and Discussion • Different social climates on-site impacted workshops effectiveness. • Likelihood of practice change greater when owner and employees interacted during training. • Bilingual educator facilitated this interaction.

18. Suggestions for improvement • In-person recruitment more effective. • English sample of workshop material in-hand. • Schedule discussion with owners on same date as workshop with employees. • Owners to be present during workshop. • Perform walk-through assessment building knowledge with owners/herdsmen.

19. Keys to success: • Presence of bilingual educator to build understanding, trust, and promote joint-problem solving. • On-farm workshops increased interest and willingness of participation • Hands-on, participatory nature engaged owners interest and increased likelihood of implementing changes • Concepts and facts plus access to resources improved safety (i.e. safety signage, first aid kits, etc.)

20. The Hierarchy of Control 6.Administrative control:Procedures for handling, labeling, continuing training and use of signs • Project:“Addressing the Human-Animal Welfare Interface in Dairy Farms”. 2013. Objectives:1. employees understand the cow/human interface and its impact on animal well-being and workers health; 2. validate remote training to reduce or replace reliability on fossil fuel transportation and reduce unproductive travel time. Participants: Four dairies (2 MN; 2 SD) 8,000-cows and 80 employees; UNM, UMN and SDSU Upper Midwest Ag. Safety and Health Ctr. SDSU. • 7. Monitoring and Health surveillance • Project:“Exposure Assessment and Intervention Analysis in Large Herd Dairy Parlors” 2013. Objective:To improve parlor efficiency and safeness. Participants: (236 workers total nationally) Un. of TX Health Science Center-Houston, CO.S.U. and SDSU.

21. Questions?