Farm Safety Information Online - FReSH

A new online resource is available to help answer farm safety and health questions. eXtension, a national research and educational based website supported by 74 land grant universities, has launched a website specifically for Farm Safety and Health.

The new Farm and Ranch eXtension for Safety and Health (acronym is FReSH), is a refreshing resource needed for today's farming population. Besides providing answers to frequently asked farm safety questions, this site also contains relevant articles on a variety of safety and health topics, and a calendar of farm safety events. "Our goal is to become a one stop clearinghouse for all agricultural safety and health information," said Aaron Yoder, a FReSH leader for this site.

Take time now to visit the site and see the variety of topics available and read several of the posted articles for this season. Go ahead and bookmark the site for quick reference to future questions that may come up throughout the year.

Featured articles for this season include:
* Safety recommendations when baling and handling big round bales
* Confined space hazards and gas monitoring of manure pit gases
* Beef cattle handling safety
* ATV safety
* Hearing loss and protection for agricultural producers
* Grain bin entrapments from flowing grains

The leaders who have provided support for the Farm Safety and Health content include Linda Fetzer, Dennis Murphy, and Aaron Yoder of Pennsylvania State University; Richard Brozowski, University of Maine; Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri; Dee Jepsen, The Ohio State University; Carol Jones, Oklahoma State University; Michael Pate, Utah State University; Charles Schwab, Iowa State University; and John Myers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

eXtension is a national internet-based educational network that is integral to and complements the community-based Cooperative Extension System with 24/7/365 availability. Agriculture is a dangerous industry; this online resource is now available to serve the hard working men, women, and families with up-to-date safety and health materials to protect the most valuable assets: the farm workers.