Safe Farm Research Articles

LOHAS이미지가 친환경 농산물 구매 의도에 미치는 영향

As consumers have increasing interests in food safety and in purchasing safe farm produce for healthy life, this study was conducted to discuss the image of LOHAS, a new wave in healthy life, and how LOHAS image influences consumers' purchase of environmentally- friendly farm produce. For the survey, 280 copies of questionnaires were distributed from November 1, 2008 to November 29, 2008 and 265 copies (95% recovery rate) were used for the analysis. The following are the results of analysis: First, The results of the study indicated that there was a significant differences LOHAS image according to the demographic factors(gender, age, income). Second, the intention to purchase environmentally-friendly farm produce was a significant differences according to income. Third, LOHAS image had a significant influence on the intention to purchase environmentally-friendly farm produce.

On-Farm Safety Program

ABSTRACT Rates of fatal occupational injuries in New York agriculture far outstrip the average for all American workers. Among its various approaches to this problem, the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) sponsored an On-Farm Safety Program that sought to reduce farm worksite hazards and to enhance understanding of safe farm practices through a two-step process. First, an on-farm hazard survey identified hazards that may lead to farm injury and suggested improvements to correct those hazards. Second, on-farm safety training sessions were offered to increase safety knowledge and influence adoption of safe work practices. Over a 2-year period, 124 farms were surveyed and 187 safety training sessions were conducted on a total of 271 New York farms. Follow-up phone surveys were conducted with 97 (78%) of the on-farm survey sites at roughly 6 months. Of the 97 survey farms that completed the telephone survey, 77 (79%) reported having made safety improvements. Hazards resolved tended to be less labor intensive and expensive than some of the other hazards observed. Ninety-six (99%) of the farms that completed the telephone follow-up survey found the on-farm visits useful and said that NYCAMH should continue to offer the On-Farm Safety Program. No data were collected to assess the impact of these efforts upon occupational injury and illness. This appears to be an effective means of outreach to heighten safety awareness of the farm population and to address some of the observed worksite hazards. It is unclear whether this approach substantially impacts the elevated risk of injury in agriculture.

Farmer Assessment of the Certified Safe Farm Program

ABSTRACT This article summarizes the qualitative findings from a study evaluating a novel agricultural health and safety program called Certified Safe Farm (CSF). Results are presented from focus groups held in 2002 and 2006 as well as mail-out surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002. Focus group participants and survey responders were farmers involved in CSF intervention studies. CSF aims to remove hazards through on-farm safety reviews, detect health concerns through clinical screenings, provide personalized occupational health and wellness education, and provide incentives for meeting farm safety targets. Farmers overwhelmingly felt that CSF was beneficial for their health and safety by improving their knowledge and behaviors. In both the focus groups and questionnaires, farmers felt that occupational health screening was the most important component of CSF, and on-farm safety review was the second most important component. Farmers also helped to identify areas in which CSF could be improved in the future. Major areas of suggested program improvement included increased involvement of entire farm families, increased enrollment of younger farmers, increased program incentives such as reduced insurance premiums, and increased ease of access to program providers (AgriSafe clinics), among other recommendations.

Injury and Illness Costs in the Certified Safe Farm Study

The Certified Safe Farm (CSF) intervention program aims to reduce occupational injuries and illnesses, and promote wellness to reduce health care and related costs to farmers, insurers, and other stakeholders. To evaluate the cost effectiveness of CSF. Farms (316) located in a 9-county area of northwestern Iowa were recruited and randomized into intervention and control cohorts. Intervention farms received occupational health screenings, health and wellness screening, education, on-farm safety reviews, and performance incentives. For both cohorts, quarterly calls over 3 years were used to collect self-reported occupational injury and illness information, including costs to the farmers and their insurers. Annual occupational injury and illness costs per farmer paid by insurers were 45% lower in the intervention cohort ($183) than in the control cohort ($332). Although out-of-pocket expenses were similar for both cohorts, combined costs of insurance and out-of-pocket expenses were 27% lower in the intervention cohort ($374/year per farmer) compared to the control cohort ($512/year per farmer). Within the cohort of intervention farmers, annual occupational injury and illness cost savings were directly associated with on-farm safety review scores. Reported health care costs were $237 per farmer in the safest farms (those farms scoring in the highest tertile) versus $485 per farmer in the least safe farms (lowest tertile). Results suggest that farmers receiving the intervention had lower health care costs for occupational injuries and illnesses than control farmers. These cost savings more than cover the cost of providing CSF services (about $100 per farm per year).

Irrigated urban vegetable production in Ghana: microbiological contamination in farms and markets and associated consumer risk groups.

Ghana is a typical low-income sub-Saharan African country facing significant sanitation challenges. In Ghana, fresh salads are not part of the normal diet, but have become a common supplement to urban fast food served in streets, canteens and restaurants. In Accra, about 200 000 people consume from such supplements every day. The figure also describes the size of the risk group from contamination, which comprises all income classes including the poor and children. The purpose of this study was to investigate widespread water pollution in urban and peri-urban areas, where 95% of the lettuce consumed in the city is produced. Over 12 months (April 2004-June 2005), lettuce samples from the same production sites in two cities were followed and analyzed along the "farm to fork" pathway for total and faecal coliform (FC) and helminth egg numbers. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among producers, sellers and consumers to quantify lettuce flows to the final risk group. The study identified the farm as the main point of lettuce contamination. Besides the irrigation water, contamination was also attributed to manure application and already contaminated soil. Despite poor sanitary conditions in markets, post-harvest handling and marketing did not further increase the farm-gate contamination levels. To reduce the health risk associated with the consumption of contaminated lettuce; safer farming and irrigation practices are required while the remaining risk could best be addressed where lettuce is prepared for consumption.

The Ontario Sheep Health Program: A structured health management program for intensively reared flocks

The Ontario Sheep Health Program was developed to address basic flock health management practices for intensively managed flocks, to promote a veterinary-client–patient relationship, to educate the producer on biosecurity issues and to encourage analysis of health and productivity data while setting goals. It is designed to work in conjunction with other Canadian flock programs, such as the Ontario Sheep Flock Improvement Program (a genetic evaluation program managed by the Ontario provincial government), the Canadian National Identification Program, the Canadian Sheep and Lamb Food Safe Farm Practices Program (managed by the Canadian Sheep Federation and overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency), the Canadian Voluntary Scrapie Certification Program and the Ontario Maedi Visna Flock Status Program. These programs help sheep producers to manage the health and productivity of their flock and to help protect the health of the consumer.

Hearing loss as a risk factor for agricultural injuries

Previous studies suggested that hearing impairment based on self-report might increase the risk of agricultural injuries. However, self-reported hearing measures may be subject to inaccuracy and subjective perception. We assessed the association of agricultural injuries with hearing loss and other hearing characteristics using measured hearing. Study subjects were 150 farmers who participated in the Iowa Certified Safe Farm study. Injury information was collected by telephone interviews at 2-5 month intervals from September 1999 to October 2002. Hearing levels were measured annually using the pure tone audiometry from 1998 to 2002. Adjusted rate ratios of injuries were calculated using the multivariate Poisson regression model. Hearing loss in the better ear (RR = 1.62), hearing asymmetry (RR = 1.67), and fair/poor self-reported hearing (RR = 1.96) were significantly associated with the risk of agricultural injuries. It is notable that self-reported hearing might be a stronger predictor of injuries than pure tone audiometry (PTA). Exposure to noise elevated the risk of injuries in those farmers with hearing loss or hearing asymmetry. The occasional use of hearing protection was significantly associated with agricultural injuries. This study adds substantial evidence that hearing loss acts as a risk for agricultural injuries. Prevention of hearing loss and noise exposure may be important in reducing the burden of agricultural injuries.

Complement of integrated fertilizer management and integrated pest management concepts to ameliorate faba bean growth and yield

Twenty-one microbial preparations recommended for controlling pathogenic fungal strains causing root rot and wilt diseases of faba bean were investigated for antibiosis against several symbiotic and associative diazotrophs adopting a modified agar-plate-inhibition-zone assay. Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium exhibited a somewhat similar susceptibility to biocontrol agents while associative diazotrophs showed variable responses. Azotobacter, compared to others, was severely inhibited by such bio-candidates. The members of the biofertilizer formulation ‘Biofertan’ did bear mixed cultivation with the majority of biocontrol agents. Among those, Bacillus subtilis was deemed the pioneer. In pot experiments, almost all the antagonists significantly restricted the severity of root rot and wilt diseases besides modifying faba bean seedling stand and improving plant development. This was very obvious with shoot biomass increases of > 50%. Moreover, the bioagents successfully recovered the legume establishment, seriously injured due to pathogenic fungal infection. Simultaneous inoculation with Rhizobium and biocontrol agents provided more growth stimulation compared to either when introduced individually. Field-grown faba beans were inoculated with the diazotroph and representatives of biocontrol strains by two different methods, seed coating and over-head soil. Growth parameters determined were the highest when the legume plant was seed-coated by Rhizobium simultaneously over-head soil inoculated with the bacterial bioagents; this was reported with Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aerugenosa. The significance of combined application of biofertilizer and bioagent to ensure cheap, clean and safe farm products is discussed.

Injuries in the Iowa Certified Safe Farm Study.

The aims of this article are to assess injury characteristics and risk factors in the Iowa Certified Safe Farm (CSF) program and to evaluate the effectiveness of CSF for reducing injuries. This intervention program includes a health screening, on-farm safety review, education, and monetary incentives. Cohorts of farmers in an intervention group (n = 152) and control group (n = 164) in northwestern Iowa were followed for a three-year period. During the follow-up, there were 318 injuries (42/100 person-years), of which 112 (15/100 person-years) required professional medical care. The monetary cost of injuries was $51,764 ($68 per farm per year). There were no differences in the self-reported injury rates and costs between the intervention and control groups. Raising livestock, poor general health, and exposures to dust and gas, noise, chemicals and pesticides, and lifting were among risk factors for injury. Most injuries in this study were related to animals, falls from elevation, slips/trips/falls, being struck by or struck against objects, lifting, and overexertion. Machinery was less prominent than generally reported in the literature. Hurry, fatigue, or stress were mentioned as the primary contributing factor in most injuries. These findings illustrate the need for new interventions to address a multitude of hazards in the farm work environment as well as management and organization of farm work.

Certified Safe Farm

ABSTRACT Data is presented on the health insurance coverage of approximately 260 farmers in Northwest Iowa. A combination of telephone interview and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on health insurance premiums, coinsurance rates, and deductibles. Data was also collected on the injury and illness experiences of the subjects. Thirty-nine percent (100) of primary farm operators and 63.5% (154) of spouses worked off the farm. Of those who worked off-farm, 30 primary operators (30%) had coverage through their off-farm employer, and 41 spouses (27%) received health insurance through their off-farm employer. In addition to a general description of demographics and insurance coverage, the following research questions were investigated: 1. Are farmers with high cost coverage less likely to seek health care when they have illnesses and injuries than are farmers who have low cost insurance coverage? 2. Do farmers with off farm employer coverage have lower insurance costs than farmers who have individual coverage? No conclusive evidence supported a relationship between the cost of coverage and the number of health care visits. However, persons with off-farm employer sponsored coverage had significantly lower premiums than those without off-farm coverage. Additionally, those with family coverage from an off-farm employer had significantly lower deductibles. Implications for use of health insurance premium reductions as an incentive for safe farms are also discussed.

Development of the Farm Safety and Health Beliefs Scale

Farmers safety and health beliefs are measured by the new 24-item Farm Safety andHealth Beliefs Scale (FSHBS), derived from the Health Belief Model (HBM) andtested among Iowa farmers (n = 259) involved in the Certified Safe Farms (CSF)project. A factor analysis of responses to 39 original FSHBS items revealed five HBM-relatedfactors: (1) susceptibility to a farm-related accident/illness; (2) benefits ofperforming safety and health behaviors; (3) barriers to performing these behaviors; (4)self-efficacy regarding performing these behaviors; and (5) severity/finances regardingthe consequences of an accident/illness. Farmers who feel more able to performbehaviors that promote their overall health report greater abilities and benefits inpracticing proper farm safety and health behaviors. These farmers also feel lessvulnerable to farm-related accidents and illnesses. Limitations are discussed, along withimplications for educational and clinical interventions.

The Certified Safe Farm Project in Nebraska: The First Year

Potentially preventable death, disabling injury, and serious illness are very commonsecondary to work in production agriculture in Nebraska and elsewhere. The traditionalapproach to farm safety has consisted largely of education designed to preventtraumatic injury. While education is of critical importance, additional incentives may beneeded to reduce fatal and non-fatal events to an acceptable level. The Certified SafeFarm concept was developed in collaboration with two Nebraska health insurancecompanies. The program consists of combining an on-farm safety assessment andoccupational health screening with an education program. The incentive to completethis program is to be eligible for a reduction in health insurance premiums, which are alarge expense for farmers. A Certified Safe Farm pilot program was established in anortheast Nebraska farm community with no prior occupational heath services forfarmers. A local nurse practitioner received agricultural health training and a localfarmer was trained to perform the on-farm safety assessments. Eleven farms wereenrolled in the program in the first year. While all passed the safety assessment process,a number of important safety problems were identified. Also, a surprising number ofcurrent health problems and risk factors for future illness were found. It is hoped thatsuccessful participation in the Certified Safe Farms program will be used in the futureto offer Nebraska farm families reductions in their health insurance premiums.

Friends and Family: Implications for Youth Tractor Safety

Ajzen and Fishbein’s Theory of Reasoned Action was used to predict adolescents’ behavioral intention regarding safe farm tractor operation. A valid and reliable instrument was developed and was given to 235 Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from 10 schools in Illinois. The single best predictor of adolescents’ behavioral intention was the subjective norm (i.e., the respondents’ perceived behavioral prescriptions of friends and family members). Multiple regression determined that adding behavioral norm to Ajzen and Fishbein’s model significantly improved prediction of adolescents’ behavioral intention regarding safe farm tractor operation. The examples set by others play an important role in determining the behavioral intent of respondents regarding farm tractor safety.

The Korean DMZ: A Fragile Ecosystem

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) along the South-North Korea divide are widely known biologically diverse reserves (Ka Chung Kim, Policy Forum, 10 Oct. 1997, [p. 242][1]). The CCZ has been under persistent threat of development by landowners, who wield enough power to pressure congressmen to legalize development in the CCZ. A special CCZ development program was nearly created by these forces, but Korea's current financial crisis has slowed down its progress. The Korean Peace Bioreserves System, discussed by Kim, does not appear to be able to alter the fate of the area's bioreserves. Several years ago, the Ministry of Environment attempted to designate the Chulwon area a National Ecological Park by enforcing the Natural Resource Conservation Act, but he did not succeed because of strong resistance from the landowners. In early 1997, the Korean National Commission for UNESCO completed a study to design a CCZ ecosystem preservation plan, but it also has had little success stopping the development forces. The fundamental problem is the conflict between the private preferences that lead to resource appropriation and the social preferences that value resource preservation. We need to consider the long-term benefit from preserving the bioreserves and compare this benefit with individuals' immediate goals of pursuing land conversion for personal monetary gain. The government, law-makers, biologists, ecologists, and landowners need to be cognizant of the value of ecosystem resources in the areas. It is therefore critical to clarify the language and concepts we use to express the value of biodiversity and policies leading to its preservation. “Value,” here, does not mean only ethical or emotional judgment about duty to future generations and responsibility toward the nonhuman natural world, but also monetary expression of the nonmarket value of ecological resources and non-use values perceived by existence, option, and bequest preferences. Existence value is the willingness to pay for the satisfaction of knowing that a natural environment is protected. Option value is defined as the annual payment of a kind of insurance premium to retain the option of possible future use. Bequest value is defined as the willingness to pay for the satisfaction derived from endowing future generations with the irreversible biological resources ([1][2]). A preservation program based on these values would alter the fate of ecosystem life by showing that biodiversity in the areas is not in conflict with local economic well-being, but in fact is essential to it. Currently, an ecotour of the CCZ in the Chulwon area attracts 360,000 tourists per year. This tourism provides the regional economy with tangible effects, such as related business opportunities (including hotels and restaurants). A valuation study was performed in the Chulwon area in the fall of 1997 ([2][3]). The total value of ecotourism in that area was estimated to be 1.05 billion won (approximately 1600 won are equivalent to $1 U.S.). The annual average revenue from selling entrance tickets to tourists is 385 million won. Thus, in addition, there could be an estimated 665-million-won surplus from ecotourism. Also, non-use values of existence, option, and bequest perception would mount to a few hundred billion won. While ecotourism may constitute the financial impetus for farmers to practice environmentally safe farming, the latter would justify government compensation to landholders to not convert land into commercial sites. Meanwhile, the multiplier effects generated by ecotourism-related business activities would spread through the regional economy, which would eventually sustain itself in harmony with a healthy regional ecosystem. In addition, adverse environmental impacts are not now included in feasibility accounting and, in fact, are not usually recognized until adverse effects become a debatable issue among the general public. The most efficient solution is a rational and tangible valuation scheme that can convince landowners and other private interests that their economic goals are best served by resource-conserving actions. 1. [↵][4]1. R. G. Walsh, 2. J. B. Loornis, 3. R. A. Gillman , Land Econ. 60, 1 (February 1984). [OpenUrl][5][CrossRef][6][Web of Science][7] 2. [↵][8]1. K. H. John , “An economic evaluation of ecosystem preservation of Chulwon area,” in the Survey of Forestry Ecology in the DMZ and the Adjacent Areas (in Korean) (Forest Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Guachon City, South Korea, December 1997), p. 15. 3. I appreciate helpful criticism from Patrick McDade. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.278.5336.242 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLand%2BEcon.%26rft.volume%253D60%26rft.spage%253D1%26rft.atitle%253DLAND%2BECON%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.2307%252F3146088%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.2307/3146088&link_type=DOI [7]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=A1984SC78000001&link_type=ISI [8]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text

An Economic Motivator for Safe Farming: Changing Perceptions Through Learning

Farm owner-operators and workers tend to make safety decisions from a subjective cost/benefit perspective. Our research has supported that farmworkers do not recognize the direct and indirect costs associated with work-related injury and thus are not making safety decisions on an accurate basis. We have developed two injury prevention interventions that require the active participation of the farmworker, acknowledge that farm economics and productivity are influential in shaping the structure and organization of the enterprise, and relate safe work practices and safety improvements to economic viability of the farm. The two interventions, Kayles’ Difficult Decisions exercise and the Farm Planning Tool, are discussed from a developmental and testing perspective. Considerations for using these interventions in agricultural health and safety are addressed.

A Qualitative Assessment of Farmer Responses to the Certified Safe Farm Concept in Iowa andNebraska

This article summarizes the responses of 56 farmers in six different farmer focus groups in Iowa and Nebraska to the development of a Certified Safe Farm (CSF) program. The premise of the CSF is to use reductions in health insurance rates and/or other financial incentives to motivate farmers to become healthier and safer. A number of major midwestern insurance companies, farm groups, agribusinesses, and agricultural health and safety specialists are involved in this initiative which is developing in three stages. Stage one, completed in 1996, consisted of six farmer focus groups in Iowa and Nebraska to gauge receptivity to the initiative and gain input on how a CSF Program should be built. Stage two, completed in 1997, was the development of the CSF system which consists of three components: (1) an on-farm safety review; (2) an agricultural occupational health screening; and (3) an educational exercise. Stage three consists of test piloting the system in Iowa and Nebraska over two years from 1998 to 2000. This article provides a synopsis of stage one, the results from the farmer focus groups conducted at an initial stage to qualitatively assess whether the CSF concept was viable from farmers’ point of view and, if deemed viable, how to develop the CSF. Findings from the farmer focus groups revealed no major barriers to the development and testing of the CSF program, but did expose a number of considerations subsequently incorporated into the CSF model.

Insurance Incentives for Safe Farms

Insurance Incentives for Safe Farms

Safe Farm: The Impact of an Iowa Public Information Campaign

The 1992 public information campaign, Safe Farm, made farm safety messages available to a diverse and independent target audience of 104,000 full-time and parttime Iowa farm operators and their families. The print portion of the campaign reached 5.03 million Iowa newspaper subscribers. A series of public service announcements received at least 180 h of air time on more than 100 Iowa radio stations and nearly 80,000 farm safety publications were distributed by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension during the campaign. The impact of this public information campaign was measured by a baseline and follow-up telephone survey of 460 Iowa farm operators. The baseline survey showed that farm operators relied heavily on local media for farm safety information, as well as the cooperative extension service.When asked where they obtained safety information, 95% of the respondents said newspapers and magazines, 82% radio, 77% television, 59% relied on publications from ISU Extension, and 33% relied on ISU Extension staff. The follow-up survey measured significant improvements in Iowa farm operators? awareness, concern, and behavior based on three indices composed of scales common to both surveys. A multiple regression analysis was conducted based on a causal model. The multivariate test indicated that these changes could not be statistically attributed to the Safe Farm campaign.

Factors Influencing Involvement in Farm Accidents

A self-administered questionnaire completed by 683 male farmers showed individuals incurring a farming-related injury more likely to score higher on a measure of personal risk-taking and to believe that accidents were inevitable (fatalism). Specific safe farming practices—wearing protective clothing and operating machinery safely—were associated with lower likelihood of injury. Traditional predictors of involvement in accidents (age, exposure to hazards, and work experience) were not significant.

FACTORS INFLUENCING INVOLVEMENT IN FARM ACCIDENTS

A self-administered questionnaire completed by 683 male farmers showed individuals incurring a farming-related injury more likely to score higher on a measure of personal risk-taking and to believe that accidents were inevitable (fatalism). Specific safe farming practices--wearing protective clothing and operating machinery safely--were associated with lower likelihood of injury. Traditional predictors of involvement in accidents (age, exposure to hazards, and work experience) were not significant.