Rancher Health

Sharpen your edge: Mastering sharps safety on the farm

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Sharps play a critical role in agriculture, ranging from standard tools such as syringes and implant needles to ear taggers, tattoo instruments and even pocketknives. While these play a critical role in livestock care by delivering vaccines, administering growth hormones or performing routine procedures, they also pose serious risks.

West: Winter blues and mental health

sfonnesbeck@uidaho.edu — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

For a long time, there has been a stigma around mental health topics. This is nothing to be ashamed of. We are all going through tough times. However, there is always something positive to look forward to.

Wearable technology: Enhancing farm labor health, wellness and safety

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

From monitoring environmental hazards to tracking biometric data, these devices offer innovative solutions to improve worker well-being and operational efficiency in agricultural settings.

Reflecting on youth farm safety efforts in rural communities

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to children being severely or fatally injured in farming and rural communities, the statistics are sobering. According to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health (NCCRASH), about every three days a child dies, and every day around 33 children are injured due to agriculture-related incidents in the U.S.

As darkness falls, are you visible to others?

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

With winter just around the corner, are you prepared for the upcoming time change? As we prepare to "fall back" with the end of daylight saving time on Nov. 3, many of us have already noticed the earlier arrival of evening darkness.

Stay alert, stay alive: Safety facts for train tracks

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Did you know that every three hours, a vehicle or person is hit by a train in the U.S.? Annually, more than 2,300 people are injured or killed in railroad crossing or trespass incidents throughout North America.

[Podcast] Sustainability and mental health resources – with Frank Mitloehner and Jessica Cabrera

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Progressive Cattle Podcast, Editor Tyrell Marchant interviews Frank Mitloehner, from UC Davis, as they talk about sustainability and the industry’s relationship with the public when it comes to these issues. Additionally, Editor Carrie Veselka discusses all things mental health and resources available for farmers and ranchers with Jessica Cabrera of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Breaking down the barriers to mental well-being

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Mental health is a critical, wide-ranging topic. Like-minded individuals rooted in the agricultural world, while often skilled at building walls around themselves and their thoughts and actions, are never immune from its wide-ranging influences.

10 best practices to steward a healthy relationship with your veterinarian

arobinson@neogen.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Consider implementing Dr. Fahrmeier’s 10 best practices to help alleviate burnout risk and unintended stress placed on your veterinarian and their team.

The silent struggle

linnea.harvey@okstate.edu — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Picture this: A rancher is driving his truck through a field spanning as far as the eye can see. He’s checking his cow herd again, and it’s nearing the end of calving season.

Cultivating hobbies for mental, physical and personal growth

don@dontyler.com — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Activities outside of work provide benefits that go far beyond taking it easy for a few hours.

Exploring the specific stressors faced by cattle producers

cmart113@tennessee.edu — Tue, 23 May 2023 09:47:21 -0400

Including mental health information in a variety of programs and formats may help familiarize livestock producers with mental health resources and remove barriers to talking about stress and depression.

West: Checking on your neighbors

cwillmore@uidaho.edu — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

If one theme has persisted over the past year, it is the constant reminder of drought in the West. Even with the moisture this spring, many ranchers have had to make difficult management decisions to stay afloat in recent months.

Could your mental health use a tuneup?

jason@agstateofmind.com — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

Last year, I had the pleasure of being on the That Western Life podcast. I was talking with hosts Katie and Rachel about my mission with my podcast, Ag State of Mind, when Rachel made a reference to a bit by comedian Chris DiStefano.

Healthier eating on the go

dellifield.2@osu.edu — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

A common theme in American households: Individuals are moving at an always-increasing pace of “go, go, go.” Whether the “go, go, go” is related to work or play, many days you may find yourself moving from work to play to work to play with little time in between.

RancHER: Deb Brown: Creating a family- run pasture-to-plate enterprise

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:00:01 -0400

Deb Brown is the owner of Long Pines Land and Livestock. She was raised on a large registered Rambouillet sheep ranch in western South Dakota and, for the past 26 years, has served as the administrator of Preferred Home Health Inc. in Buffalo, South Dakota, which she and her mother founded together.

Stress prevention strategies

don@dontyler.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:09:44 -0500

Your friends and family are concerned about you, and so am I. There is a level of uncertainty in agriculture and nearly all businesses which exceeds anything we’ve seen or experienced in our lifetimes.

Don’t let the tough times control you

dellifield.2@osu.edu — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:00:01 -0400

In 2018, the USDA reported that since 2013, there has been more than a 50 percent reduction in net farm income.