History of Agriculture at Risk: A Report to the Nation

History of History of Agriculture at Risk:Agriculture at Risk:

A Report to the Nation A Report to the Nation

1988 – 20001988 – 2000

Where Do We Stand?Where Do We Stand?

Kelley J. Donham, University of IowaKelley J. Donham, University of Iowa

Julia F. Storm, NC State UniversityJulia F. Storm, NC State University

Agriculture at Risk: 1988-2000, Donham and Storm 2

History of Ag at RiskHistory of Ag at Risk

• Magnitude of the ProblemMagnitude of the Problem• Few Resources RelativeFew Resources Relative

to Needto Need• No Public Health PolicyNo Public Health Policy

Prior to 1990Prior to 1990


History of Ag at RiskHistory of Ag at Risk

• Pioneer’s InvolvementPioneer’s Involvement• Concept of a “Living” Concept of a “Living”

ConferenceConference• Focus on Family FarmsFocus on Family Farms


Objectives of Ag at RiskObjectives of Ag at Risk

1.1. Summarize State-of-the-Art Summarize State-of-the-Art KnowledgeKnowledge

2.2. Integrate Viewpoints of Integrate Viewpoints of Farmers & Farm-workersFarmers & Farm-workersInto Public Policy Into Public Policy



3.3. Identify Research, Education & Identify Research, Education & Service NeedsService Needs

– Occupational HealthOccupational Health& Safety Hazards& Safety Hazards

– Delivery of OccupationalDelivery of OccupationalHealth & Safety ServicesHealth & Safety Services

– Environmental Health IssuesEnvironmental Health Issues



4.4. Formulate a Public Health Formulate a Public Health Policy for AgriculturePolicy for Agriculture

• Conduct Broad-BasedConduct Broad-BasedPolicy EducationPolicy Education


Process of Ag at RiskProcess of Ag at Risk

• Steering CommitteeSteering Committee– Designed Conference StructureDesigned Conference Structure– Selected Program TopicsSelected Program Topics– Chose Conference ParticipantsChose Conference Participants


Cooperating OrganizationsCooperating Organizations

• NIFSNIFS• N.I. Rural N.I. Rural

Health PolicyHealth Policy• N. Rural Health N. Rural Health

AssociationAssociation• NSCNSC

• SOEHSOEH• AACVTAACVT• ACVPMACVPM• ACGIHACGIH• ALAALA


Outcomes of Ag at RiskOutcomes of Ag at Risk

– N-CASHN-CASH– Ag at Risk ReportAg at Risk Report– Scientific Conference ProceedingsScientific Conference Proceedings– Agricultural H & S Public PolicyAgricultural H & S Public Policy– Policy EducationPolicy Education– Ag Health “Movement”Ag Health “Movement”


Outcomes of Ag at RiskOutcomes of Ag at Risk

– Kellogg Ag H&S Kellogg Ag H&S ProgramProgram

– Surgeon Surgeon General’s General’s ConferenceConference

– Agricultural Agricultural Health StudyHealth Study

– FS4JKFS4JK– NIOSH Ag NIOSH Ag

ProgramProgram– ERC Ag TrainingERC Ag Training– AgrabilityAgrability– State Programs State Programs

(e.g. I-CASH)(e.g. I-CASH)


Indirect OutcomesIndirect Outcomes

– Enhanced Agromedicine andEnhanced Agromedicine andASH-NET ActivitiesASH-NET Activities

– Cooperative ExtensionCooperative ExtensionNational Health InitiativeNational Health Initiative

– EPA Task Force on Pesticides and EPA Task Force on Pesticides and Health Care ProvidersHealth Care Providers

– SHAUN, Ag mental healthSHAUN, Ag mental health– ROPS at CostROPS at Cost


Limitations of Ag at RiskLimitations of Ag at Risk

• Forestry & Fisheries not Forestry & Fisheries not IncludedIncluded

• Emphasis on Family Farm, not Emphasis on Family Farm, not Ag WorkersAg Workers

• Geographic/commodity Under- Geographic/commodity Under- Representation of Representation of the U.S.the U.S.


Reasons to RevisitReasons to RevisitAg at RiskAg at Risk

• Changing DemographicsChanging Demographics• Industrialization of Ag and New Industrialization of Ag and New

TechnologiesTechnologies• GlobalizationGlobalization• Changing Health Care SystemChanging Health Care System• Changing RegulationsChanging Regulations


1988 – 20001988 – 2000Where Do We Stand?Where Do We Stand?

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS No No ActionAction

Minimal Minimal ActionAction

Moderate Moderate ActionAction

Substantial Substantial ActionAction

TOTAL (86)TOTAL (86) 1313 3535 2424 1414

TOTALTOTAL 15%15% 41%41% 28%28% 16%16%







Legislative- Legislative- Federal Federal (19)(19)

21%21% 32%32% 37%37% 10%10%

Legislative- Legislative- State State (2)(2)

00 100%100% 00 00

Research Research (28)(28) 14%14% 32%32% 18%18% 36%36%







Occupational Occupational H&S DeliveryH&S Delivery(9)(9)

22%22% 67%67% 11%11% 00

Education Education (20)(20) 10%10% 45%45% 45%45% 00

Coalition Coalition (8)(8) 12%12% 38%38% 25%25% 25%25%


1988 – 20001988 – 2000Federal LegislationFederal Legislation

• AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– Appropriation or Appropriation or

Leadership forLeadership for• NIOSH Ag ProgramNIOSH Ag Program• NASDNASD• Ag Health StudyAg Health Study• Pesticides & Health Pesticides & Health

Care Providers Care Providers StrategyStrategy

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– National and National and

Interagency Interagency CoordinationCoordination

– Comprehensive Comprehensive Goals and Goals and ObjectivesObjectives

– ROPS LegislationROPS Legislation


1988 – 20001988 – 2000State LegislationState Legislation

• AccomplishmentAccomplishmentss– Injury/illness Injury/illness

Reporting LawsReporting Laws– State Ag H&S State Ag H&S

Center Center Development Development

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– Greater Greater

Geo/commodity Geo/commodity CoverageCoverage

– Support for Support for State CentersState Centers


1988 – 20001988 – 2000ResearchResearch

• AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– NIOSH Ag NIOSH Ag

ProgramProgram– Ag Health StudyAg Health Study– Best Safety Best Safety

PracticesPractices

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– National National

DatabaseDatabase– Ag and Rural Ag and Rural

Health ServicesHealth Services– Health Health

GuidelinesGuidelines– Greater Greater



1988 – 20001988 – 2000Occupational H&S DeliveryOccupational H&S Delivery

• AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– I-CASH and I-CASH and

Agromedicine Agromedicine ProgramsPrograms

– AgriSafe NetworkAgriSafe Network– Certified Safe Certified Safe

FarmFarm

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– Support for Support for

Service Service Development & Development & DeliveryDelivery

– Greater Greater Geo/commodity Geo/commodity CoverageCoverage


1988 – 20001988 – 2000EducationEducation

• AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– General AwarenessGeneral Awareness– NASDNASD– Resources for Resources for

Children & YouthChildren & Youth– Continuing Continuing

Education Education OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– EvaluationEvaluation– Professional Professional

CurriculumCurriculum– Support for Support for

Students Students – Greater Greater



1988 – 20001988 – 2000CoalitionCoalition

• AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– Scientific Forums Scientific Forums

and Journalsand Journals– FS4JKFS4JK– ROPS at CostROPS at Cost– Farm Press EffortsFarm Press Efforts

• Areas for ActionAreas for Action– Support for Support for

Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary State and State and National EffortsNational Efforts

– Greater Greater Grassroots Grassroots InvolvementInvolvement

– National National CoordinationCoordination


SummarySummary

• Ag at Risk Required a Monumental Ag at Risk Required a Monumental Effort Effort

• Comprehensive Ag H&S Policy was Comprehensive Ag H&S Policy was DevelopedDeveloped

• Limitation: No Central Coordination Limitation: No Central Coordination to Assure Direction and Focus on the to Assure Direction and Focus on the RecommendationsRecommendations


We MustWe Must

• Assess Fully What Has Assess Fully What Has and Has Not Been Doneand Has Not Been Done– Complete Undone Complete Undone – Build on What Has Been DoneBuild on What Has Been Done– Avoid Reinventing the WheelAvoid Reinventing the Wheel

• Assess NIOSH Ag Programs’ Assess NIOSH Ag Programs’ Outcomes and ImpactsOutcomes and Impacts


We MustWe Must

• Update & Expand Ag Community Update & Expand Ag Community SurveySurvey

• Develop Measurable Goals and Develop Measurable Goals and ObjectivesObjectives

• Develop an Ag-Specific NORADevelop an Ag-Specific NORA• Build a National Build a National InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary

Coalition for Coordination & DirectionCoalition for Coordination & Direction

We MustWe Must

Make a DifferenceMake a Differencein the Agricultural in the Agricultural

Workplace and CommunityWorkplace and Community

Documents

History of Agriculture at Risk: A Report to the Nation