October 2026 News & Updates

Recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Rural Communities

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), an opportunity to raise awareness about intimate partner violence and recognize the unique challenges individuals in rural communities may face when seeking help.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men in the United States have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.

For individuals living in rural communities, geographic isolation, transportation limitations, fewer available services, and concerns about privacy in close-knit communities can create additional barriers to accessing support. One study published in the Journal of Women’s Health found that the average distance to an intimate partner violence resource was approximately three times greater for women in small rural and isolated areas compared with women in urban areas.

Resources to Know and Share:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Provides free, confidential support 24/7, safety-planning assistance, and connections to local resources. Call 800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
• Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP): The 2026 DVAM campaign, “With Survivors, Always,” offers campaign materials, talking points, social media content, printables, and other tools to support awareness and action throughout October.

For survivors reading this, please know that you are not alone. Support is available, and you deserve to feel safe, heard, and supported.

Supporting Mental Health in Agricultural Communities

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health needs and the importance of accessible support in every community (including agriculture).

Taking time to recognize signs of stress, start a conversation, listen without judgment, and connect someone with appropriate resources can make a meaningful difference.

AgriSafe offers resources designed specifically with agricultural communities in mind:

• The AgriStress Helpline provides 24/7 support for farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families. Individuals can call or text 833-897-2474 to connect with support.
• The AgriStress Provider Directory helps agricultural workers and their families find behavioral health professionals who understand the unique stressors of agriculture. Every provider listed has completed AgriSafe’s FarmResponse^® training. Users can search by location, telehealth or in-person services, specialty, insurance accepted, and more.

Want to get more involved? Check out the World Health Day Toolkit, provided by the World Health Organization.

For many agricultural families, home and work are deeply connected. Family members may work alongside one another, share responsibilities, make decisions together, and build their lives around the farm or ranch. This closeness can be a meaningful part of agricultural life, but it can also complicate relationship dynamics. For providers and professionals working with agricultural and rural communities, understanding this unique overlap can create opportunities to better support the whole person, including their relationships and sense of safety at home.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity for providers to consider how they can create safe, supportive spaces for these important conversations. In rural communities, factors such as geographic isolation, limited resources, privacy concerns, and close-knit social networks can create additional barriers for individuals experiencing unhealthy or unsafe relationships. Providers do not need to have all the answers; simply asking thoughtful questions, offering a private space to talk, listening without judgment, and knowing where to connect someone with additional support can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode of Talking Total Farmer Health (TTFH), podcast host Linda Emanuel speaks with Jakob Hanschu, a research specialist from the National Farm Medicine Center out of Marshfield, Wisconsin, with a brief appearance from Fire Chief Jerry Minor from Pittsville.

Linda and Jakob discuss RF-DASH, a program with five core areas that shift agricultural emergency response from being reactive to proactive. Learn how farm mapping, hazard assessments, and more can improve the outcomes of farm and ranch emergencies. Chief Minor also shares how the farm mapping software works and gets used for preparation and during emergency calls.

To listen to the latest episode, visit our website or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tip: Subscribe so that you get notified when new episodes are released! 

Rural and Health Center National Graduate Medical Education Conference

(Rockville, MD | August 31 - September 2)



Laura Siegel, AgriSafe's Health Communications Officer, attended the 2026 Rural and Health Center National Graduate Medical Education Conference in Rockville, MD, earlier this month!

She presented alongside Dr. Dawn Caviness and Dr. Amanda Vaglia on “Incorporating Agricultural Health and Farm Medicine into a Residency Curriculum.” Dr. Caviness and Dr. Vaglia both shared about their work in rural communities, and Laura presented on AgriSafe's Rural and Underserved Physician Scholar Program, which is launching this November.

NASDA Annual Meeting

(Portland, ME | September 14)

AgriSafe was pleased to exhibit for a day at the NASDA annual meeting in Portland, Maine on September 14th. Alberta Longone-Messer, RNC, PPCNP-BC, IIN, IAHC, one of AgriSafe's Total Farmer Health Coaches represented AgriSafe and made many new connections with important state-based partners from across the nation!

Husker Harvest Days

(Grand Island, NE | September 15 - 17)

AgriSafe was proud to participate in Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Nebraska, connecting with agricultural communities and sharing valuable health and safety resources.

Throughout the event, AgriSafe’s Agricultural Health Liaison, Linda Emanuel, provided education on skin cancer prevention and encouraged farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and families to take steps to protect their health. The event also offered an opportunity to connect with youth through AgriSafe's Invest in Your Health Program.

A special thank you to the Skin Cancer Foundation for providing educational materials and giveaways, and to CHS, Inc. for supporting our Invest in Your Health outreach and education efforts.

North Dakota Nurses Association Annual Conference

(Bismarck, ND | September 18)

AgriSafe Total Farmer Health^® Coach Tara Jo Maus, RN, BSN, HN-BC, presented QPR for Farm Families at the North Dakota Nurses Association Annual Conference on September 18.

As a certified QPR instructor, Tara provided attendees with practical strategies for recognizing warning signs of suicide, starting important conversations, and connecting individuals with support. The training provided an opportunity to share these skills with nurses who serve rural and agricultural communities across North Dakota. Tara also represented AgriSafe at an exhibit table, sharing agricultural health and safety resources with conference attendees.

We would also like to thank CHS, Inc. for supporting this training and helping AgriSafe equip nurses with the tools and knowledge needed to strengthen suicide prevention efforts in agricultural communities.

ISASH Upcoming FREE Webinar: Tick Tricks

October 14 | 11 AM - 12 PM CDT

Join the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) for a FREE webinar on tick-borne diseases with Wayne Sanderson, PhD, Professor at the University of Kentucky. Learn about different types of ticks, the diseases they can carry, and interventions being tested to help prevent tick exposure and reduce disease risk.

IFISH 7 Call for Abstracts and Session Proposals Deadline Extended: October 15

The 7th International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference (IFISH 7) will take place March 30–April 3, 2027, in Cape Town, South Africa. IFISH is currently seeking abstracts and session proposals focused on occupational safety and health in commercial fishing, seafood processing, and aquaculture. Submissions may highlight emerging challenges, successful interventions, and innovative approaches to improving worker safety and health.

The submission deadline has been extended to October 15, 2026! Abstracts for oral presentations and posters, as well as proposals for panels, roundtables, workshops, and regular sessions, are welcome.



Questions about submissions? Email info@ifishconference.ca for more information.

Newly Released Resource: Agricultural Medicine, Third Edition

The third edition of Agricultural Medicine: Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health for Agricultural and Rural Populations is now available!

Edited by Kelley J. Donham and Dennis J. Murphy, this science-based resource explores the prevention and treatment of occupational and environmental injuries and illnesses affecting agricultural populations. Topics include infectious diseases, toxic exposures, agricultural injuries, and more, with the third edition expanding its focus to include global climate change, mental health, and emerging hazards.

The new edition brought together 47 experts who served as editors, authors, and reviewers, including AgriSafe staff members Dr. Tara Haskins and Olivia Bury, who contributed by reviewing the chapter focused on psychological health.

The book is available in both hardback and eBook formats. Click the button below to learn more and purchase a copy!