Agriculture remains one of the deadliest U.S. occupations, with fatality rates higher than mining and construction. The National Farm Safety & Health Week, the third week of every September, brings national attention to the importance of agriculture and promotes the health and safety of farmers and their families. This year, National Farm Safety & Health week will include a focus on mental health. The mental health of farmers is just as important as the more commonly known hazards, like tractor rollovers, PTO shaft entanglements and grain entrapments. “The stressors associated with farming—especially during peak harvest season—can really take their toll on farm families,” said Dr. Kanika Arora, an evaluator at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. To contribute to National Farm Safety & Health Week, visit TellingTheStoryProject.org, a collaboration among the Midwest U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers where farmers share their personal accounts of incidents and near misses on their farms. 

Mental Health a Priority during National Farm Safety & Health Week – Sept. 16-22

Agriculture remains one of the deadliest U.S. occupations, with fatality rates higher than mining and construction. The National Farm Safety & Health Week, the third week of every September, brings national attention to the importance of agriculture and promotes the health and safety of farmers and their families.
 
This year, National Farm Safety & Health week will include a focus on mental health. The mental health of farmers is just as important as the more commonly known hazards, like tractor rollovers, PTO shaft entanglements and grain entrapments.
 
“The stressors associated with farming—especially during peak harvest season—can really take their toll on farm families,” said Dr. Kanika Arora, an evaluator at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. To contribute to National Farm Safety & Health Week, visit TellingTheStoryProject.org, a collaboration among the Midwest U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers where farmers share their personal accounts of incidents and near misses on their farms.