URBANA, Ill. — Taking the extra time to plan safety precautions into daily routines can save a life when accidents occur, and they will. The agriculture industry is filled with risk, injury, and danger at about every turn. 

Cultivating Caution is a monthly webinar series that explores the latest research, recommendations, and tips for staying safe, healthy, and aware while working in the numerous areas of today’s agriculture industry. The series is co-sponsored by the University of Illinois Agricultural Safety & Health Program, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, farmdoc, and University of Illinois Extension.

“Finding ways to reduce the total number of ag-related injuries and fatalities from year to year is a constant goal in the ag industry,” says Salah Issa, assistant professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of ACES. 

In the monthly webinar series, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign experts will cover a different safety topic and share research with resources from various concepts around machinery safety, farm stress, mental health, and the future of ag safety.

The series is ongoing now through November with upcoming dates including: 

• Heat Stress and Illness | June 18
• Illinois Injury Surveillance Efforts | July 16
• Farm Safety for Youth: Keeping the Next Generation Safe | Aug. 20
• Addressing Mental Stress and Health in Agriculture | Sept. 17
• Resources for Farmers in Crisis | Oct. 15
• Future of Ag Safety: How AI Will Transform Agriculture | Nov. 19

The free series offers practical tips and best practices for Illinois farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers to protect themselves, their families, and their operations.

Sessions will begin at 11 a.m. on the third Tuesday of the month. Learn more about the series and register at go.illinois.edu/SafeAg2024.

Issa believes the series helps increase awareness and adds valuable information to the ag safety conversation through actionable takeaways. The tips and best practices help more people find ways to build preventative safety measures into their established routines.

“Building in safety measures, exploring technology, and continuing research will assist in continuing the decline of ag-related injuries and fatalities in the years to come,” says Issa.

Coming together and putting safety first can reduce the dangers of working in agriculture.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, contact Jim Baltz at jhbaltz@illinois.edu or by phone at 217-333-8276. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.

View past recordings in the Cultivating Caution: A Monthly Guide to Farm Safety and Health YouTube playlist. 

SOURCE: Salah Issa, assistant professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of ACES.

WRITER: Jenna Braasch, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension