Quarterly

e-newsletter of AgInjuryNews

Winter 2025

Following the passing of Dorianne Beyer, Esq. (shown in the image to the left), earlier this year, the Journal of Agromedicine featured a tribute that honors her five decades of leadership advancing child safety and labor standards—especially for youth in agriculture.

In the article titled, "Czarina of the Children of the World!" the author Barbara Lee, Ph.D. (the founding director of the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety) reflects on Dorianne's bold vision and her charge to "never lose sight of the young hands."

This editorial highlights how Dorianne's legal acumen shaped policy, industry practices, and protections of young workers. Click the button below to read the full tribute.

Stories can help make injury data stick. This is one of the points that came through at the panel discussion titled "AgInjuryNews – Filling the Gap in Agricultural Injury Reporting," held on October 7, 2025 as a part of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) Online Conference (October 6-9, 2025).

The discussion featured Bryan Weichelt Ph.D., Roger Aby Ph.D., Scott Heiberger, and Serap Gorucu Ph.D. from the AgInjuryNews (AIN) team, who highlighted how pairing real-world incident narratives with searchable surveillance data helps journalists, farm safety educators, and agricultural organizations show that these events are not "one-offs" but rather patterns. Scott Heiberger, communications manager at the National Farm Medicine Center and a former journalist, noted that reporters use AIN to look up similar past incidents so a single tractor fatality or entanglement does not look like a one-off, it becomes part of a clear preventable pattern.

They emphasized that farm families and journalists often respond more to real people and real consequences than to "tough statistics." As Dr. Weichelt stated, "Stories move people. Stories matter. Stories can move policy."

The AIN database now includes 6,100+ news and publicly reported stories covering more than 5,200 agriculture/forestry/fishing injury incidents across the U.S. and Canada from 2016 to present. This depth helps communicators build prevention messages and make the human costs of farm incidents more visible, especially in sectors and regions where formal reporting is thin.

Watch the panel recording by clicking on the video below.

The 2025 North American Agricultural Safety Summit (October 20-22, San Antonio, TX), hosted by the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), was a big success.

The event featured inspiring speakers, valuable networking and important discussions on building a strong culture of safety in agriculture. Doug Rose, CEO AgReserves, Inc., set the tone with his keynote: “When the safety professional owns safety it’s a program. When everyone owns safety, it’s a culture.”

An awards celebration honored Linda Fetzer, M.S., Dr. Diane S. Rohlman, and Dr. Aaron Yoder. The summit closed with Dale Dobson’s moving message: “Life, Death & Readily. Growing up a Farm Boy —The Power of A Handshake.” It was a powerful reminder that when we work together, we can create a culture of safety that protects every person in agriculture.

Several posters at the North American Agricultural Safety Summit used AIN data to highlight how news media reports can be used to understand existing and emerging injury risks in agriculture.

Image on the left shows Roger Aby, Ph.D., from the AgInjuryNews team presenting at the summit.

Image in the middle shows Bryan Weichelt, Ph.D., from the AgInjuryNews team (left) and Dale Dobson who is the Division Director of Farm Safety & Rural Health, Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Image on the right shows members of the AgInjuryNews team setting up posters at the summit.

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) is accepting submissions for a Special Issue titled “Public Health: Rural Health Services Research—2nd Edition.”

This issue will highlight innovations and research addressing the persistent health disparities faced by regional, rural, and remote communities. These populations often experience limited access to care, workforce shortages, and poorer health outcomes compared to urban counterparts.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Design, delivery, and evaluation of rural and remote health services
• Health workforce development, training, and retention
• Integrated healthcare models and telehealth
• Technological innovations in healthcare
• Environmental and public health
• Capacity building and community-based approaches
• Health policy and universal health coverage
• Indigenous and First Nations health
• Care for marginalized or disadvantaged populations

This multidisciplinary Special Issue encourages collaboration between clinicians, public health professionals, and researchers to address critical environmental and public health challenges.

2026 Rural Health Policy Institute

February 10–12, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

The National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) 37th Rural Health Policy Institute will be centered on the theme “Building capacity, bridging gaps, and growing stronger together.” This event expects to bring hundreds of rural health advocates to the nation’s capital to hear rural health priorities directly from elected officials, learn how to effectively engage in NRHA’s advocacy efforts, and build relationships with their congressional delegations. Registration includes access to NRHA’s advocacy resources and a complimentary one-year membership for first-time NRHA members. Click here to learn more.

Society of Toxicology 65th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo

March 22–25, 2026, in San Diego, CA

At the four-day Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, attendees can participate in continuing education courses, scientific sessions, posters, and social events. The ToxExpo Exhibit Hall will feature research organizations, government agencies, laboratory suppliers, drug developers, consulting firms, and academic institutions that support toxicologists and the broader toxicology community. The meeting offers opportunities to engage with cutting-edge science, reconnect with colleagues, build new collaborations, and explore mentorship and career development in a welcoming and dynamic setting. Click here to learn more.

Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) 2026 Annual Conference

April 22–24, 2026, in Portland, OR

The SOPHE 2026 annual conference, themed “Local Roots, Global Impact: Transforming Health through Education,” will bring together more than 900 leaders in school and public health education, promotion, and practice to share evidence-based strategies, build new skills, and explore emerging tools and technologies—while earning Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)/Master Certified Health Education (MCHES) credits. Conference tracks include Leadership and Workforce Development, Social Justice and Health Equity, Health Communications, Program Planning and Evaluation, and Policy and Advocacy. The meeting is designed for health education specialists, faculty and researchers, community-based practitioners, students, and public health administrators and policy leaders. Early Bird registration is available through January 31, offering savings of up to $100. Click here to learn more.

2026 Annual Rural Health Conference

May 19–22, 2026, in San Diego, CA

This national gathering hosted by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) will bring together hundreds of rural health leaders for more than 80 innovative, practical, and cost-saving sessions designed to raise the standard for rural health. The event also includes the 11th Rural Hospital Innovation Summit and associated meetings, making it the largest gathering of rural health professionals in the country. Attendees may also participate in NRHA’s expanded Rural Health Access Conference (May 18–19) and the Rural Medical Education Conference immediately beforehand on May 19. Click here to learn more.

Safety and Health in Agricultural and Rural Populations (SHARP)

June 15–18, 2026, in Saskatoon, Canada

SHARP 2026 will bring together researchers, policymakers, industry partners, and community leaders for an international symposium hosted by the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health at the University of Saskatchewan, in collaboration with the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) and Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA). The program will feature keynote speakers, workshops, poster sessions, networking events, and guided tours focused on advancing health and safety in rural and agricultural communities. Structured abstracts in all areas of health, safety, wellness, and wellbeing among agricultural, occupational, rural, and remote populations will be accepted until January 16, 2026, with selected abstracts eligible for development into full-length papers for a dedicated Journal of Agromedicine edition. Click here to learn more.

ASABE 2026 Annual International Meeting

July 12–15, 2026, in Indianapolis, IN

The 119th Annual International Meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) will bring together engineers, researchers, students, and industry professionals from across the U.S. and around the world. Attendees will explore current industry trends, innovations in design and technology, and the economic, political, and societal issues shaping the future of agricultural and biological engineering. The meeting will feature robust networking opportunities, more than 1,500 technical and poster presentations, specialty and professional development sessions, technical and cultural tours, and a career fair. ASABE is currently seeking abstracts across 11 technical communities, with sessions shaped by participant submissions. Click here to learn more.

International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) 2026

August 30–September 2, 2026, in Munich, Germany

The theme for the 2026 International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) annual conference will be “Understanding and Responding to Global and Local Challenges: Environmental Epidemiology in a Changing World.” the meeting will bring together environmental epidemiologists and related professionals to exchange ideas, share new findings, and reflect on the evolving role of the field. Set in vibrant late-summer Munich, the conference will offer a welcoming atmosphere, stimulating discussions, and ample opportunities for networking and collaboration. Abstract submission and registration are expected to open in January 2026. ISEE 2026 will be organized by K.I.T. Group GmbH Dresden. Click here to learn more.

• Weichelt, B., Namkoong, K., Sunrin, R., Burke, R., Kieke, B., & Aby, R. (2025). Unveiling the Effect of Repeated Exposure to Agricultural Injury News: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Agromedicine, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2025.2581237
• Aby GR, Sullivan CJ, Weichelt B. Injuries caused by Agricultural Machinery: Evaluating Historical Data and the Safety Implications of Autonomous Machinery. Poster presented at: 2025 Agriculture Safety & Health Council Of America 2025 North American Agricultural Safety Summit; October 20–22, 2025; San Antonio, TX.
• Aby GR, Weichelt B. Comparative Assessment of Publicly Available Data Sources for Agricultural Injury Surveillance. Poster presented at: 2025 Agriculture Safety & Health Council Of America 2025 North American Agricultural Safety Summit; October 20–22, 2025; San Antonio, TX.
• Benny, C. P., Hanschu, J., Aby, RG., Gorucu, S., & Weichelt, B. Heat-Related Illnesses Among U.S. Agricultural Workers From 2016 to 2024: Content Analysis of News Media Reports. Poster presented at: 2025 Agriculture Safety & Health Council Of America 2025 North American Agricultural Safety Summit; October 20–22, 2025; San Antonio, TX.
• Benny, C. P., Hanschu, J., Heiberger, S., Lee, B. C., & Weichelt, B. Assessing U.S. Media’s Reaction to a Suggested Terminology Shift from “Accident” to “Incident” in News Reports of Childhood Agricultural Injury: A Pilot Study. Poster presented at: 2025 Agriculture Safety & Health Council Of America 2025 North American Agricultural Safety Summit; October 20–22, 2025; San Antonio, TX.
• Weichelt, B., Aby, R., Heiberger, S. and Gorucu, S. (2025, October 07). AgInjuryNews – Filling the Gap in Agricultural Injury Reporting (Panel Discussion). Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) Online Conference, October 6-9, 2025.
• Benny, C. P., Hanschu, J., Heiberger, S., Lee, B. C., & Weichelt, B. (2025). Assessing U.S. Media’s Reaction to a Suggested Terminology Shift from “Accident” to “Incident” in News Reports of Childhood Agricultural Injury: A Pilot Study. Journal of Agromedicine, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2025.2539970

To view an updated listing of peer-reviewed manuscripts resulting from the work related to AgInjuryNews, please visit our Learn More page. If interested in citing the system/data, please use this:

Weichelt, B., Salzwedel, M., Heiberger, S., Lee, B.C. (2018). Establishing a Publicly Available National Database of U.S News Articles Reporting Agriculture-Related Injuries and Fatalities. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 61(8), 667-674. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22860

Bryan Weichelt Ph.D., M.B.A., Research Scientist, NFMC

Serap Gorucu Ph.D.,

Assistant Professor

 University of Florida

Juan Saucedo,

Research Coordinator,

CCEPH

Sheena LaBossiere,

Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

Christopher Wanat,

Health Educator,

NFMC

Matt Pilz,

Senior Software Engineer, NFMC

Roger Aby Ph.D.,

Research Specialist, NFMC

Christopher Benny,

M.D. Candidate,

MCW-CW

In addition to our Core Team the following have contributed to this issue of the AIN Newsletter: Marie Fleisner and Scott Heiberger. Thank you!

This is the Volume 2 Issue 10 of the AgInjuryNews quarterly e-newsletter. To unsubscribe, email nccrahs@marshfieldclinic.org

Funding support has been provided through the National Farm Medicine Center, the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), the Dean Emanuel Endowment, and the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety via the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH; grant number: U54 OH009568).