Health and safety issues top list of rural concerns

Issue Date: December 6, 2006

By Christine Souza
Assistant Editor

No matter where the state's farmers and ranchers live or what they grow, rural health and safety issues are the same. Farmers want a safe, healthy environment for their workers and their families so they can better produce the food that people need.

Improved rural health and safety measures topped the list of issues members of the California Farm Bureau Federation Rural Health and Safety Committee discussed at the organization's 88th Annual Meeting in Anaheim. The group developed a prioritized list of the most pressing issues to focus on in the coming year.

"We want to increase the exposure of the programs that California Farm Bureau offers to members," said Tulare County farmer Kerry Whitson, CFBF Rural Health and Safety Committee chair. "This needs to start at the county level. That's where we think we can have the greatest impact.

"It's easy to get caught up in having meetings in Sacramento and talk about things we want to do at the grass-roots level, but unless you take action at the county level, you don't offer real solutions for the folks in the counties. That is what our goal setting for 2007 is about."

Members of the Rural Health and Safety Committee broke into three subcommittees--health, safety and rural crime--to brainstorm and prioritize goals for the coming year.

Committee member Richard Schmid of Homeland said safety outreach for farmers and their workers is a must. In addition to the safety training information already being produced by Farm Bureau partners such as Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS), State Compensation Insurance Fund, Allied Insurance and Nationwide, committee members agreed that more must be done.

"We need to really emphasize programs that are available through Farm Bureau membership," Whitson said. "FELS is a tremendous organization and I want to try to increase that exposure through our rural health and safety program. There's a benefit when people hear from those using these programs and who explain how they benefited."

Members agreed to focus on safety training outreach next year by using media releases, postcard reminders and other avenues to alert growers to upcoming safety training topics and events.

Heat stress prevention remains a priority for farmers and ranchers. Educational tools such as a FELS-produced heat illness prevention video will be available for employers to show their employees.

George Daniels, FELS executive vice president, talked about the importance of educating farmers about shade requirements for workers. He suggested doing more to provide growers with tools and ideas to make the necessary changes on the farm when hot temperatures arrive.

Topping the list for health, members agreed that health and wellness check-ups should be provided for employees and employers.

"I personally believe that farmers neglect their own health," said committee member Gloria Alesso of Lancaster. "At some point we should have a mini physical available, perhaps at meetings or at our annual meeting. I think maybe we should offer things that are non-invasive, like a blood pressure check, so they are not uncomfortable."

Members also ranked basic health opportunities for workers and heat stress prevention as goals for 2007.

"We have to look at some type of basic health insurance opportunities for our farm employees," Whitson said. "There is a vast percentage of our farm employees on the ranch, in the packinghouses and in the field, who don't have access to health care. I think that is a big one."

For 2007, committee members agreed that farmers must get the message that crimes must be reported as they occur.

"We just need to raise awareness and I will admit to being frustrated," said committee member Tom Rogers, who farms in Madera. "I get a battery stolen or something minor, do I report?

"No. I'm afraid not. It's easier to run into town, replace the battery and complain to everyone I run into along the way, except the sheriff. We have to raise awareness and get people to call."

Recent survey results indicate that less than 10 percent of agricultural crimes are reported. California's eight Central Valley counties lost an estimated $10.9 million due to crime in 2005.

"Farmers are very busy and they feel law enforcement probably won't catch them anyway, but if we send in the information, they can see if there is an area being targeted," Whitson said. "If we don't report these little crimes, then they don't know there's been 10 overnight thefts of batteries stolen from tractors."

San Diego County Sheriff's Department agriculture crime prevention specialist Jackie Cruz was named as an advisory member of the CFBF Rural Health and Safety committee. She discussed why it is crucial that farmers report crimes and stressed that farmers and law enforcement need to work together to fight rural crime.

"If farmers don't report these crimes, law enforcement doesn't know that there is anything wrong," Cruz said. "The more farmers report suspicious activity, the more it helps law enforcement put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and make an arrest."

For all three areas of focus, committee members expressed the need to develop ways to encourage more farmer and rancher participation, whether the topic was safety training or reporting rural crimes.

"The committee is a member service and is an often overlooked component of one's membership dues," said Danielle Rau, CFBF Rural Health and Safety director. "We have a variety of resources available. We have expertise and guidance and we offer courses and classes.

"It's an important component of your Farm Bureau membership and something that you are already paying for, so take advantage of it."

(Christine Souza is a reporter for Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top