Black History Month has been held during the month of February since 1926 thanks to the efforts of Carter Woodson. Woodson's efforts to commemorate black history and black labor started as a weekly celebration in February that was then extended to a month in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.

The 2025 Black History Month theme, “African Americans and Labor,” sets out to highlight and celebrate the impact of this work. Innovations in the agriculture sector by Black farmers are undeniable and to reflect this year's theme AgriSafe wants to highlight just some of the innovations created by black farmers and agriculturists, and how they changed the way we farm.

Henry Blair was the second African American to be issued a patent in the United States. Despite his inability to read or write, Blair refused to allow illiteracy or other obstacles such as racial discrimination hold him back. During his lifetime, Blair patented two inventions: a corn planter and a cotton planter. Both inventions improved farming efficiency, reducing labor and time while benefiting other farmers.

Karen Washington is the owner of Rise and Root Farm, a farm that encourages people of all backgrounds to come celebrate farming and encourages food justice, as well as a co-founder of Black Urban Growers the organization behind the largest annual gathering in the United States of America of urban farmers for more than a decade. 

Looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month?

• Visit the ASALH website and social media toolkit for more information on Black History Month.
• Support Black-owned farms by discovering one near you. This directory features a diverse range of agricultural businesses, including row crop farmers, ranchers, vegetable and fruit producers, beekeepers, fisherfolk, foragers, vintners, and more from across the United States. Find a farm near you!
• Sign up for the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge, which is a free 21-day commitment (April 7 - 27, 2025) to deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism for twenty-one consecutive days. Register Here.

Food insecurity in early childhood has the potential to cause long-term impacts on physical and behavioral development. The American Nurses Association published an article citing numerous research findings that found food insecurity and poor early child development outcomes to be especially impactful for children under 5 years of age. Rural areas face additional challenges due to limited food retailers, financial constraints, and longer travel distances to access fresh, nutritious food. Healthcare professionals can use the USDA's Hunger Vital Sign (HVS) screening tool to identify individuals at risk for food insecurity.

The HVS identifies households as being at risk for food insecurity if they answer that either or both of the following two statements are ‘often true’ or ‘sometimes true’ (vs. ‘never true’).

• Within the past 12 months, we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.
• Within the past 12 months, the food we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more.

Healthcare providers in rural areas can refer patients to food assistance programs like community food banks, SNAP, and WIC. Follow-ups have proven effective in promoting health. You can help shift the potential for rural children to grow and achieve positive health outcomes. Screen, refer, and advocate for efforts to mitigate food insecurity in your community. 

Virginia Cooperative Extension's 2025 Winter Conference

AgriSafe's Health Communication Officer, Laura Siegel, had the privilege of presenting at the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Winter Conference on February 5, where she joined an esteemed panel of experts to present on the important topic of farmer wellness, mental health, and suicide prevention.

Alongside Roberto Franco, Jeremy Daubert, and Kim Niewolny, Laura shared valuable insights and strategies aimed at supporting the mental and emotional well-being of farmers, a community facing unique challenges. Many thanks to Virginia AgrAbility for inviting AgriSafe to co-present on this topic!

In this episode of Talking Total Farmer Health, our host Linda Emanuel speaks with Dr. Florence Becot and Dr. Hannah Budge about their recent research on female farmers health and well-being. This conversation dives into how raising children, mediating the farm family, working on the farm, and working an off-farm job can disproportionately affect females’ health and well-being. Stick around till the end of the episode to hear tips for mothers to handle the heavy load, and for family and coworkers to help ease that load!

To listen to the latest episode, visit our website or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - make sure to subscribe so that you to get notified when our episodes are released!

NOTE: The Talking Total Farmer Health podcast will shift to releasing episodes every-other-month!

The CDC is encouraging firefighters in rural and agricultural communities, including full-time, part-time, and volunteers, to register with the National Firefighter Registry. This initiative aims to combat cancer risks linked to firefighting by collecting data on the health of firefighters.

Even if you have no current diagnosis or history of cancer, your participation is crucial in understanding the risks and improving safety measures. A special push is underway in Iowa to support local firefighters.

To register and learn more, visit the National Firefighter Registry.

Monthly Mental Health

Innovations Exchange

Wednesday, March 5

10 am - 11 am CDT

Child Farm Injuries are NEVER “Accidents”

Wednesday, March 19

12 pm - 1 pm CDT

QPR for Farmers and Farm Families

(General CE Available) 

Thursday, March 20

3 pm - 4:30 pm CDT

*This webinar will NOT be recorded.*

Conversations on Access to Lethal Means

(CALM) Training (General CE and CHW Available)

Wednesday, April 16

10 am - 11:30 am CDT

*This webinar will NOT be recorded.*

If you haven't had the chance to check out AgriSafe’s latest continuing education offerings, here’s a roundup of our current opportunities, available both through webinars and on-demand courses.

1- Hour Webinar Recordings with Continuing Education:

• Best Practices in the Detection and Monitoring of Pesticide Exposure (CME, CNE)
• Keep Rural Communities Healthy: The Role of HPV Vaccination (CNE, CHW)
• NFSHW24: Sharing the Road: Agricultural Equipment and the Driving Public (General CE)
• Zoonoses in a Changing World (CME, CE)

On-Demand Courses with Continuing Education:

• Nurse Scholar Program (23 credit hours of CNE)
• FarmResponse (3.5 credit hours of continuing education are available for physicians, nurses, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, occupational therapists, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and many other professionals.)

ISASH 2025 (June 23 - 26): Call for Poster Abstracts (Deadline March 7)

The International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) invites abstract submissions for the 2025 Annual Conference in Portland, Maine. The theme for this year’s conference is “On land and at sea: Safety and health for farmers, fishermen, and forestry workers.” The deadline for posters and hands-on demonstrations is March 7.

2025 AgrAbility National Training Workshop

(March 24-27) - Las Cruces, New Mexico



The AgrAbility National Training Workshop is the premier training event addressing issues of disability in agriculture. Professionals and consumers from all over the country participate in four days of plenary sessions, breakouts, tours, networking, and special events. The conference will take place at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces for pre-conference sessions and the welcome reception. The main conference days will be held at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. AgriSafe will be attending, so be sure to stop by and say hello! We look forward to connecting, sharing insights, and learning about the incredible work being done by other organizations.

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