National Farm Medicine Center

The National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC), established in 1981, is a non-profit program in Marshfield, Wisconsin dedicated to agricultural health and safety research, and service.^[1] The center is a component of the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, which is part of Marshfield Clinic.^[2][3][4][5]

NFMC Logo

History

In the 1960s research was conducted by the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute on respiratory diseases common in dairy farmers. Dean Emanuel identified maple bark disease among paper mill workers.^[6][7][8]

In 1964, a culture technique developed by Emanuel and Fritz Wenzel to identify the causative agent for "farmer's lung",^[8][9][10] a chronic, progressive, inflammation in the lungs of farmers. By 1971 intervention and education programs targeting farmers were developed in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station, located in Marshfield.^[11] Discussions were held in 1980 and came to fruition in 1981 with the formation of an agricultural medicine center in Marshfield.^[12]

Organization

The center is directed by Casper G. Bendixsen, PhD.^[13][14] Its staff of 20+ includes five PhD level scientists, along with support staff.^[15] Past directors include Barbara C. Lee, PhD and Matthew C. Keifer, MD.^[16][17]

Since 1997, the center has been home to the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS),^{[3][18][19][20]} It is one of 11 Centers for Agricultural Disease and Injury Research, Education and Prevention^[21] funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,^[22] and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.^[23]

The majority of the center's funding comes from competitive government grants and contracts. Other sources of funding are private foundations, corporations, partnerships and donations.

Education and outreach

The National Farm Medicine Center hosts summer interns who are involved in research projects, farm visits, and field work.^[24][25][26]

Research

The research areas this center participates in includes

• Integrated Pediatric Primary Care and Child Farm Safety^[27]
• Microbiome^{[28][29][30][31]}
• Skin Cancer Screening
• Mental health in rural America and Globally^[32]
• Wisconsin Infant Study Cohort (WISC)^[33][34]
• Wisconsin Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) Rebate Program^[35][36][37]—In 2014 the National Tractor Safety Coalition (NTSC) was created in Chicago, IL. The coalition has 80 members including the National Farm Medicine Center. More than 10 years of research has gone into tractor overturns^[38] and the importance of Roll Over Protection Structures^[39][40] (ROPS).^[41][42] Now 70% of ROPS can be paid for to farmers retrofitting an older tractor with a system.^{[43][44][45][46]}
• AgInjuryNews.org – an up-to-date collection of agricultural injury and fatality reports, primarily derived from news reports.^{[47][48][49][50][51]} A portion of the data was published in Injury Prevention in 2018^[52] and a subset was analyzed for prevention message inclusion in media reports, published in 2017.^[53][54] Another subset of the data analyzed from AgInjuryNews.org has described an ongoing issues of youth injuries and young operators of skid steers on U.S. farms and ranches.^[55][56] This work has led to further investigation of injury surveillance gaps, and challenges with injury coding systems and the potential to couple multiple systems for improved coding outcomes.^[57]

In collaboration with the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH),^[58] the following projects are conducted:

• Seguridad en las Lecherias (safety in the dairy) – addressing the health and safety needs of Hispanic dairy workers in Wisconsin^[59][60]
• Safe Return to work – a computer application that guides a clinician in returning an injured dairy or pork worker to light duty work^[60][61]
• Surveillance in Dairy – a survey-based project surveying the dairy community to explore changes in injury and illness.^[60]
• Rural Fire Fighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) – improves farmers access to rural health and safety consultation.^[62][63][64]

In collaboration with the Central States Center for Agriculture Safety and Health (CS-CASH),^[65] the following projects are conducted:

• Augmented reality – Farm Mapping to Assist, Protect and Prepare Emergency responders (Farm MAPPER)^[66][67][68]
• Identifying the Sources of Stress and Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Among Young Farmers and Ranchers in the Midwest
• Improving Safety and Health in the Cattle Feed Yard Industry
• Assessing the prevalence and underlying causes of all-terrain vehicle-related injuries on U.S. farms.

Publications

• Cultivate and Nurture are center newsletters
• Year in Review is a year end publication
• Journal of Agromedicine^[69][70]

References

1. "Making farm safety a priority". Hub City Times. July 26, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
2. Mulhern B. Saving Lives: the Marshfield-based National Farm Medicine Center and its director, Barbara Lee, work to reduce traumatic agricultural injuries and deaths. Wisconsin Corporate Report, January 2008, pp. 26–29.
3. "CDC – Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative: NIOSH FACTS: Health and Safety for Kids on the Farm – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic". cdc.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
4. S. Schultz. "National farm medicine center plans unveiled". Marshfield News Herald, April 22, 1982, p. A1.
5. T. Murphy. "Farm safety their business". Wausau Daily Herald, October 15, 1989, p. D1.
6. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. "Alumni Gather and Honor a Pioneer in Marshfield". UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
7. Emanuel, D. A.; Lawton, B. R.; Wenzel, F. J. (February 15, 1962). "Maple-bark disease. Pneumonitis due to Coniosporium corticale". The New England Journal of Medicine. 266 (7): 333–337. doi:10.1056/nejm196202152660704. ISSN 1533-4406. PMID 13890068.
8. "Dean A. Emanuel, M.D. – Ripon Commonwealth Press". Ripon Commonwealth Press. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
9. Wenzel, F.; Emanuel, D. A.; Lawton, B. R.; Magnin, G. E. (November 1, 1964). "Isolation of the Causative Agent of Farmer's Lung". Annals of Allergy. 22: 533–540. ISSN 0003-4738. PMID 14215933.
10. "Recognizing a pioneer in farm health and safety". Brownfield Ag News. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
11. "University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station".
12. Mazza, Joseph J. (2006). Promoting agricultural health and safety: A history of the National Farm Medicine Center. Marshfield, Wisconsin. pp. 7–8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
13. "Marshfield Clinic Research Institute – National Rural Health Association honors Dr. Lee with Researcher Award". marshfieldresearch.org. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
14. Healy, Jack (2018). "5-Year-Olds Work Farm Machinery, and Injuries Follow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
15. "Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation – Staff". marshfieldresearch.org. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
16. "National Farm Medicine Center".
17. . Archived from the original on February 24, 2016.
18. "National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety".
19. "Barbara Lee PhD".
20. "CDC – NIOSH Update – NIOSH Announces Cooperative Agreement Creating National Children's Center for Agricultural Injury Prevention". cdc.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
21. "CDC – NIOSH Grants and Funding – Extramural Research and Training Programs – Training and Research – Agricultural Centers". cdc.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
22. "CDC – The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)". cdc.gov. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
23. "CDC works 24/7 to protect US from health, safety and security threats". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
24. Heiberger, Scott; Evans, James F. (December 2017). "New Extension Approaches to Serving Agricultural Media in Advancing Farm-Life Safety Communications". Journal of Extension. 55 (6). doi:10.34068/joe.55.06.44. S2CID 259433154. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
25. "Marshfield Clinic Research Institute – Study takes fresh look at engaging media in farm safety coverage". marshfieldresearch.org. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
26. umash (February 20, 2018). "Study takes fresh look at engaging media in farm safety coverage". Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
27. "5-Year-Olds Work Farm Machinery, and Injuries Follow". The New York Times. January 29, 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
28. "Dairy farmers' dirty noses, mouths likely healthy". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
29. Shukla, Sanjay K.; Ye, Zhan; Sandberg, Scott; Reyes, Iris; Fritsche, Thomas R.; Keifer, Matthew (August 29, 2017). "The nasal microbiota of dairy farmers is more complex than oral microbiota, reflects occupational exposure, and provides competition for staphylococci". PLOS ONE. 12 (8): e0183898. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1283898S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0183898. PMC 5574581. PMID 28850578.
30. "Dairy farmers have noses for science". AgUpdate. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
31. Human Microbiome Project Consortium (June 2012). "Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome". Nature. 486 (7402): 207–214. Bibcode:2012Natur.486..207T. doi:10.1038/nature11234. PMC 3564958. PMID 22699609.
32. Olowogbon, Toyin (October 22, 2018). "Agricultural stressors: identification, causes and perceived effects among Nigerian crop farmers". Journal of Agromedicine. 24 (1): 46–55. doi:10.1080/1059924x.2018.1538915. PMID 30345895. S2CID 53045513.
33. Ludka-Gaulke, Tiffany; Ghera, Princy; Waring, Stephen C.; Keifer, Matthew; Seroogy, Christine; Gern, James E.; Kirkhorn, Steven (January 2018). "Farm exposure in early childhood is associated with a lower risk of severe respiratory illnesses". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 141 (1): 454–456.e4. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.07.032. PMC 5758418. PMID 28870458.
34. "Marshfield study: Kids raised on dairy farms less likely to get allergies, rashes". Daily Herald Media. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
35. "Tractor rollbar rebate bill advances in Wisconsin legislature". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
36. "Wisconsin tractor rollbar rebates available for 2017–18". Retrieved May 16, 2018.
37. "Marshfield Clinic Research Institute – Tractor Rollbar Rebate: The Christmas Gift that Keeps on Giving". marshfieldresearch.org. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
38. "rollbar Archives – OnFocus". OnFocus. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
39. FocusonMFLD (December 8, 2017). "National Farm Medicine Center Helps Farmers Give the Gift of Safety – OnFocus". OnFocus. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
40. "Rollbar rebate form". AgUpdate. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
41. "Tragedy averted: 90-second video speaks to Wisconsin farmers". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
42. "Tractor roll bars help save lives in most common farm accide..." Retrieved May 16, 2018.
43. Rudolphi, Josie M.; Campo, Shelly; Gerr, Fred; Rohlman, Diane S. (May 2018). "Social and Individual Influences on Tractor Operating Practices of Young Adult Agricultural Workers". Journal of Adolescent Health. 62 (5): 605–611. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.11.300. ISSN 1054-139X. PMC 8189182. PMID 29478719.
44. "Tractor rollbar rebate bill advances in Wisconsin legislature". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
45. "Win a free tractor ROPS at Grazing Conference". January 22, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
46. "GrassWorks Grazing Conference Filling Up". Farm Report. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
47. Weichelt, Bryan; Salzwedel, Marsha; Heiberger, Scott; Lee, Barbara C. (May 22, 2018). "Establishing a publicly available national database of US news articles reporting agriculture-related injuries and fatalities". American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 61 (8): 667–674. doi:10.1002/ajim.22860. ISSN 0271-3586. PMID 29790197. S2CID 46896922.
48. "Ag Injury News Clippings". aginjurynews.org. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
49. "Resolutions for a safer 2018 on Wisconsin farms". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
50. "Recent farm tragedy sparks outcry". Wisconsin State Farmer. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
51. Healy, Jack (2018). "5-Year-Olds Work Farm Machinery, and Injuries Follow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
52. Weichelt, Bryan; Gorucu, Serap (February 17, 2018). "Supplemental surveillance: a review of 2015 and 2016 agricultural injury data from news reports on AgInjuryNews.org". Injury Prevention. 25 (3): injuryprev–2017–042671. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042671. ISSN 1353-8047. PMID 29386372. S2CID 3371442.
53. Marlenga, B.; Berg, R.; Gallagher, S. (January 20, 2017). "News Reports and Their Role in Child Agricultural Injury Prevention". Journal of Agromedicine. 22 (2): 71–77. doi:10.1080/1059924X.2017.1282909. PMID 28107106. S2CID 19860085.
54. "Rural Health Informatics Play Increased Role in Ag Safety". Pork Business. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
55. Weichelt, Bryan; Bendixsen, Casper (2018). "A Review of 2016–2017 Agricultural Youth Injuries Involving Skid Steers and a Call for Intervention and Translational Research". Journal of Agromedicine. 23 (4): 374–380. doi:10.1080/1059924x.2018.1501455. PMID 30230430. S2CID 52294832.
56. Healy, Jack (January 29, 2018). "5-Year-Olds Work Farm Machinery, and Injuries Follow". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
57. Murphy, Dennis; Gorucu, Serap; Weichelt, Bryan; Scott, Erika; Purschwitz, Mark (2019). "Using multiple coding schemes for classification and coding of agricultural injury". American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 62 (2): 87–98. doi:10.1002/ajim.22932. ISSN 1097-0274. PMID 30561026. S2CID 56172628.
58. umash. "Home". Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
59. "Students work on farm safety training for immigrant dairy workers". farmprogress.com. August 28, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
60. Archibald, Joy. "Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center – UMASH Projects". umash.umn.edu. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
61. "2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo (Oct. 31 – Nov. 4, 2015): Nuance to Numbers: Transforming Unstructured Physical Therapist Field Data to Structured Farm Task Data for an Injured/Ill Return to Work Software Application". apha.confex.com. November 4, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
62. Archibald, Joy. "Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH)". Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
63. "Tracking Farm Hazards with Farm MAPPER". Cornell Small Farms Program. June 28, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
64. Barnes, Casper Bendixsen and Kate. "Farm First Aid – Preparing for tough situations". Progressive Dairyman. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
65. "Home | CS-CASH | University of Nebraska Medical Center". www.unmc.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
66. Weichelt, Bryan; Yoder, Aaron; Bendixsen, Casper; Pilz, Matthew; Minor, Gerald; Keifer, Matthew (July 3, 2018). "Augmented Reality Farm MAPPER Development: Lessons Learned from an App Designed to Improve Rural Emergency Response". Journal of Agromedicine. 23 (3): 284–296. doi:10.1080/1059924x.2018.1470051. ISSN 1059-924X. PMID 30047852. S2CID 51721567.
67. "What's in Marshfield Clinic's next 100 years?". News-Herald Media. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
68. Weichelt, Bryan; Heimonen, Tomi; Pilz, Matthew; Yoder, Aaron; Bendixsen, Casper (2018). "An Argument against Cross-Platform Development: Lessons from an Augmented Reality App Prototype for Rural Emergency Responders". JMIR mHealth and uHealth. 7 (3): e12207. doi:10.2196/12207. PMC 6458533. PMID 30920380. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
69. "Journal of Agromedicine". Taylor & Francis.
70. "Farm Safety Spheres of Influence". Pork Business. Retrieved May 16, 2018.

External links

• National Farm Medicine Center website
• Child Agricultural Safety Network
• Cultivate Safety
• International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health
• Pesticide Health Effects Medical Education Database
• Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center