AgriSafe Network

Webinar: Farm Equipment Hits the Highway: Growing Risks and Smarter Solutions
2025-09-22 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Summary: Tractors and other large ag machines are spending more time on public roads than ever before. As farms expand and equipment grows in size, the risks on rural roadways continue to rise, not just for farmers but for the entire motoring public. This session will explore how design solutions, especially those connected to lighting and marking design standards, reduce collision risk. We’ll unpack crash data, examine discrepancies between federal and state requirements, and highlight recent NHTSA regulations that focus national attention on these issues. We’ll also explore new risks associated with trailering, longer transport routes, and the safety implications of the accelerating shift toward autonomous and robotic machinery.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Describe how changes in farm size, equipment design, and changes in rural communities contribute to increased roadway travel and higher collision risk.
Explain the purpose and impact of consensus design standards and how alignment (or misalignment) with state regulations can influence roadway safety outcomes.
Identify new roadway safety concerns tied to equipment trailering, larger machines, and longer travel distances across spread-out farm operations.
Assess how automation and robotics in agriculture will introduce both new risks and promising safety solutions—and how policy, like California’s current occupational safety tractor rules, will shape their future use.
Intended audience: Farmers, policymakers, extension educators, engineers from equipment companies, law enforcement, clinicians, health professionals, agricultural association leaders, agribusiness professionals, insurance loss control/underwriters, vo-ag instructors, machinery dealers
Meet the Presenter: Dr. John Shutske, Agricultural Safety & Health Specialist and Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET) Community Training
2025-09-23 11:00 - 12:00
Summary: COMET is a direct response to rural community members’ concerns about mental health needs. COMET is a community-based intervention to activate community members and provide them with language, tools, and confidence to intervene when they notice someone around them is unwell, and before a mental health crisis occurs. COMET supports community wellness by focusing on the upstream prevention of mental and emotional health crises.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Learn the importance of being “the other person” and the seven-component conversation guide
Practice with tailored scenarios, share feedback
Participate in discussions of comfort level and motivation, and review resources
Intended audience: Anyone is welcome. While a range of populations can find COMET very useful, the program is specifically designed for people living in rural communities. In this setting, the training may also be useful for individuals looking to add a training like COMET to their own programming.
Meet the Presenter: Maret Felzien, MA, Faculty, COMET and Chad Reznicek, MA, LPC, Behavioral Health State Specialist, Colorado AgrAbility Project
Register
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Strong Roots: Keeping Farming in the Family Through Health and Resilience
2025-09-23 13:00 - 14:00
Summary: A mother-daughter team (Nurse Practitioner and Agricultural Extension Agent) discusses how farm families can preserve their legacy by prioritizing mental, emotional, and physical health across generations. Representing 2 generations of their farming family, they discuss chronic stressors unique to farm life, including economic pressures and isolation. The presentation offers practical coping strategies, promotes mental health literacy, and emphasizes the importance of open communication, family resilience, and succession planning. The discussion encourages integrating the younger generation through meaningful involvement, innovation, and shared values, while also connecting families to resources and community support systems. By fostering a culture of health and understanding, the presentation empowers farm families to navigate challenges together and secure the future of their farms.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will :
Recognize the vital role of family farms in sustaining local economies, food systems, and cultural heritage, and identify the emotional and structural threats to farm continuity.
Understand the ways mental health challenges, including chronic stress, depression, and burnout, affect not only individual farmers but also multigenerational family dynamics and long-term farm viability.
Identify signs of mental health distress common in agricultural communities and explore strategies to reduce stigma and encourage early intervention and open dialogue.
Apply simple, effective wellness practices—such as routine, nutrition, rest, spiritual grounding, and communication tools—that can be integrated into daily farm life.
Promote family-centered resilience by learning techniques that foster generational respect, conflict resolution, and shared decision-making.
Support succession planning that includes emotional readiness, physical capability, and transparent communication—using available legal and financial tools.
Connect with local and regional resources—such as cooperative extension services, rural clinics, faith-based groups, and mental health hotlines—that strengthen both individual and community support networks.
Intended audience: Farm families, extension agents, healthcare providers
Meet the Presenter: Theresa G, Long, DNP, FNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner, Riverside Medical Group and Theresa Long Pittman, Agricultural and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension
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To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Communication Coaching to Support Farm Harmony Across Generations
2025-09-24 11:00 - 12:00
Summary: Communication coaching is a specific program with a method that works with the members of farm teams and farm families to make decision making, goal setting, and conversations in general, better. This presentation will address generational differences, share communication teaching ideas, and discuss a specific 4-session coaching program that participants may be interested in adapting.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will:
Be able to consider generational differences and perspectives, and how communication skills can support people to have better conversations.
Learn about a specific coaching program designed to identify specific problems and opportunities.
Learn about activities and strategies used by coaches.
Understand the benefit of sharing specific communication skills in the interest of promoting harmony across the members of a farm team.
Intended audience:

Service providers who work with farmers on succession, provide technical assistance, and recognize that oftentimes nothing can happen without first addressing human needs.
Farmers interested in a big-picture look at farm coaching (this is not a communication workshop).

Meet the Presenter: Leslie Forstadt, PhD, Extension Professor and Human Development Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Too Young to Plow Alone: Keeping Youth Safe on the Farm with AYWG & HAYWG
2025-09-24 13:00 - 14:00
Summary: This webinar will focus on practical strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of youth working on farms, using the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (AYWG) and the Hired Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (HAYWG). This will underscore the importance of aligning job tasks with a child’s developmental abilities, rather than age alone, to prevent injury and promote a safe working environment.
Through real-life examples, current data, and evidence-based guidelines, this session will help participants evaluate tasks, implement safer work practices, and understand federal and state labor laws related to youth in agriculture. Special attention is given to preventing injuries involving tractors, machinery, and hazardous work that young children may not be developmentally ready to perform
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…
Recognize the Risks: Identify the leading causes of youth injury and fatality on farms, especially related to age-inappropriate tasks.
Understand the Guidelines: Gain familiarity with the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (AYWG) and the Hired Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (HAYWG) tools for matching farm tasks with a youth’s age and developmental stage.
Apply Development-Based Safety Practices: Use evidence-based resources to determine whether a young person is physically, cognitively, and emotionally prepared to safely perform specific agricultural tasks.
Comply with Labor Laws: Understand how to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and any relevant state laws regarding youth employment in agriculture.
Implement Practical Safety Steps: Learn actionable strategies to reduce risks on the farm, such as supervision protocols, training, safety checklists, and equipment restrictions for young workers.
Promote a Culture of Safety: Encourage a mindset that prioritizes youth safety and supports long-term injury prevention and responsible mentorship on farms.
Intended Audience: Farm parents and agricultural employers who hire youth workers.
Meet the Presenter: Melissa Ploeckelman Brown, Outreach Specialist, National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS)
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Confined Spaces in Agriculture
2025-09-25 11:00 - 12:00
Summary: During this webinar, we will explore the dangers of confined spaces in agriculture, including grain bins and manure pits, and the hazards involved in working with each.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…
Raise awareness regarding the high incidence of farm injuries and fatalities.
Increase knowledge of the serious nature of agricultural injuries.
Increase knowledge of the circumstances that lead to agricultural injuries and fatalities.
Increase knowledge regarding the difficulties associated with conducting an on the farm incidents.
Learn how to treat a patient with near-drowning in manure pits.
Learn to treat someone overcome by Carbon dioxide, H2S, and low oxygen.
Intended audience: Farmers, ranchers, agribusiness employers/employees, and safety personnel
Meet the Presenter: Dan Neenan, MBA, Paramedic, Fire Instructor, Director, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: AgriSafe Natural Disaster Recovery Response Think Tank
2025-09-25 13:00 - 14:00
Summary: Join AgriSafe for a dynamic and collaborative session focused on strengthening disaster readiness, response, and recovery efforts in agricultural and rural communities. This think tank will explore existing resources, highlight critical gaps in infrastructure and preparedness, and facilitate a collective dialogue on how to build more resilient systems. Natural disasters can strike without warning, and being prepared can save lives, livelihoods, and communities. Your voice matters in shaping effective responses before, during, and after a disaster. We hope you’ll be part of the conversation.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…
Understand the current challenges and infrastructure gaps in rural disaster response.
Identify and describe at least three key resources available for natural disaster recovery.
Contribute to a collaborative effort to improve disaster preparedness and support systems in agricultural communities.
Intended Audience: Agricultural workers, rural residents, Extension professionals, health and safety advocates, emergency preparedness personnel, and anyone invested in the well-being of agricultural communities
Meet the Presenter: Natalie Roy, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, AgriSafe Network
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Safe Operation of ATVs and UTVs for Agriculture
2025-09-26 11:00 - 12:00
Summary: Explore the leading causes of injuries and fatalities involving ATVs and UTVs in agricultural settings. Learn practical safety strategies and best practices to help prevent accidents and protect the agricultural community.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
To raise ATV and UTV owners and operators’ awareness of the hazards and promote safe operation of these machines.
Intended audience: Farmers, ranchers, parents, agriculture production workers, healthcare providers, emergency medical services, public health officials, government and legislative leaders, administrators.
Meet the Presenter: Bernard W Kennett (Bernie),Contract Instructor, New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health “NYCAMH”
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.

Webinar: Wheels of Misfortune: Off-Road Vehicles on Public Roadways
2025-09-26 13:00 - 14:00
Summary: Off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) are extremely popular and a common source of injury and death in rural areas, especially farms and ranches. While the use of ATVs/UTVs on public roadways increases the likelihood of a crash with another vehicle, the majority of roadway deaths and an even higher proportion of injuries on public roads are single ATV/UTV crashes not involving another motor vehicle.
ATVs/UTVs are designed for off-road use only, and manufacturers have strongly stated that they should not be operated on public roadways. In fact, the majority of deaths associated with these vehicles occur on public roads. Despite this, an increasing number of states, counties, and municipalities across the country are passing laws allowing ATVs/UTVs to operate on public roadways for transportation and recreational purposes. During this presentation, we will discuss the safety issues surrounding ATVs/UTVs on public roads and, in particular, the design elements of ATVs/UTVs that place their operators at greater risk on public roads. We will discuss how rural families can help protect themselves, their families, and employees from ATV/UTV-related crashes and injury.
Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
List at least three design features of ATVs and UTVs that contribute to crashes and subsequent injury, and be able to discuss how these features make ATVs/UTVs vulnerable to problems on both paved and unpaved roads.
Identify at least three other factors that contribute to ATV/UTV-related crashes and injuries, and how they might decrease the risk to themselves, their families, and employees.
Understand and appreciate ATV/UTV safety messages they might share with others, and how they could be effective advocates for informed safety legislation regarding ATVs/UTVs.
Intended audience: Farmers, ranchers, parents, agriculture production workers, healthcare providers, emergency medical services, public health officials, government and legislative leaders, administrators
Meet the Presenter: Charles Jennissen, MD, Clinical Professor and Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Watch the Recording
To register for this training, you must have a free account in the AgriSafe Learning Lab. If you do not have an account, please create one here.
