NDSU Extension Partnering to Deliver Agricultural Safety Program

By Angie Johnson

Adopting safety practices on most farm and ranch operations is voluntary, underscoring the importance of working with community members to help producers identify hazards and take steps to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities. In North Dakota, a large network of trusted community support exists to address the growing concern of agricultural injuries and fatalities.

To address farm and ranch safety prevention efforts, North Dakota State University Extension has partnered with the National Farm Medicine Center to offer the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH) train-the-trainer program in North Dakota.

The RF-DASH program will be offered in person on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Killdeer Saddle Club in Killdeer, North Dakota, and Thursday, Dec. 4, at Webster Farms near Penn, North Dakota.

“In North Dakota, we have a fantastic network of Extension agents, rural firefighters, ambulance squads and county emergency managers,” says Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension farm and ranch safety specialist. “These professionals are community members and trusted sources of information that farmers, ranchers and their families listen to when it comes to addressing hazards regarding health and safety on their farm operation.”

RF-DASH training opportunities are open to firefighters, county emergency managers, EMS personnel, law enforcement, safety professionals, Extension agents, technical college instructors, rural insurance agents, farmers, ranchers and other rural community members interested in preventing agricultural injuries and fatalities.