Ag Safety and Health

Ohio AgrAbility

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Staying in the game | Ohio Cooperative Living

The Ohio AgrAbility Project is part of a national program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that assists farmers and other agricultural workers with disabilities by providing the resources and support they need to live independently, and to continue or return to working in production agriculture.

Learn more below or reach out to Nic to learn more about the program or get connected to the program.

Tick Bites…They are NO Joke!

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Over the past few weeks a Master Gardener Volunteer and three ANR professionals have been bitten by ticks.  In two cases the ticks were attached but for the other two no tick was ever found. Ticks will bite a host to feed on blood and can remain attached for several days, feeding until they are full. They can detach naturally after feeding or can be removed by various means. It is important to seeks medical care following a tick bite or suspected tick bite to be tested for diseases like Lyme.

 

Be Aware and Be Prepared for Extreme Heat

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With extreme heat in the forecast, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA), the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA), and the National Weather Service Wilmington (NWS) encourage residents – especially older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and caretakers of infants and children – to use extra precaution in avoiding heat-related stress.

Buckeye Tick Test

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The tick population, the number of tick species, and the associated tick-borne diseases in people and animals are rapidly increasing across the Buckeye State. Ohio now has six medically important tick species. These include blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks, lone star ticks, gulf coast ticks, Asian longhorned ticks, and brown dog ticks and each carry one or more pathogens that could be harmful to humans and/or animals (note: pathogens are germs that can cause illness).

The Ohio State University Buckeye Tick Test is addressing this critical situation by offering cost-effective tick-borne pathogen testing for the general public with test results within 72 hours. After receiving the test results, individuals can share the information with their medical providers and/or veterinarians. Buckeye Tick Test has the potential to reduce tick pathogen disease for hundreds of people and animals and the data from the tick testing will provide much needed publicly available tick pathogen surveillance information.

The Ohio State University Buckeye Tick Test staff is committed to providing quality tick testing for you and your family (including pets and animals). We are passionate about what we do and how we serve our customers.

Sharing the Road During Spring Planting Season

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Each year, over 500 tractor and machinery roadway crashes occur in Ohio resulting in property damage, injuries and deaths. It’s up to everyone to be extra vigilant as we share our rural roadways. Here are some helpful tips for farmers and motorists.

Information for the Farmers:

  • Obey traffic laws including signs, signals, and speed limits.
  • Ensure all tractors and equipment less than 25mph are equipped with clean and unfaded Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem that hasn’t faded and dust is removed before transport.
  • Move equipment legally using proper transport modes.
  • When possible, move equipment in off-peak hours or on low traffic routes.
  • Using escort vehicles in the front or back of the machinery can assist when in heavy traffic.
  • Use discretion when pulling to the side of the road to allow motorists to pass.
  • Obey traffic laws including signs, signals, and speed limits.
  • Slow down on turns and curves.
  • Hitch equipment properly to the drawbar or appropriate hitch points with the correct size pins.

Information for the Motorists:

  • Be alert and look for flashing lights and Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblems on tractors and machinery.
  • Slow down as soon as you spot farm equipment. Think about closure time when coming up behind slow moving vehicles. In less than 7 seconds, a motor vehicle traveling 55 mph will close 400 feet behind a tractor traveling 15 mph.
  • Do not speed past farm equipment. Only pass when it is legal and safe to do so.
  • It is often difficult for large equipment operators to see traffic coming from behind.
  • When meeting equipment (in either direction), watch for any obstructions like guardrails, mailboxes, and road signs that may prevent the machinery to move closer to the shoulder of the road.
  • If equipment has pulled over onto the shoulder, do not assume it will stay there; it may be making a wide left turn.
  • Do not stop or pull out in front of equipment with a Slow Moving Vehicle emblem.
  • When passing farm equipment, make sure you can see the lights on the left and right of the tractor before moving back into the lane of travel.

Follow the laws, respect each other, and share the road safely this season.

This article is provided by the OSU Extension Agricultural Safety and Health Team, https://agsafety.osu.edu/. Authored by Dee Jepsen, Professor,  jepsen.4@osu.edu, and Amy Rademaker, Outreach Coordinator, rademaker.3@osu.edu. Graphics provided by Madeline Walthers, Agricultural Communications Student Intern.