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NEASHC Funds Ag Safety and Health Promotion

Published on: Published in: Farming

Highlighting Our New Program

In 2023, our Northeast Agricultural Safety and Health Coalition (NEASHC) introduced a new opportunity for Northeast states to receive $500 – $1000 mini-grant awards for activities that promote agricultural safety and health in rural communities. “Our scope for these awards is intentionally broad to so applicants are free to use the funds for a variety of promotions,” said NEASHC coordinator Pauline Boyer from the Northeast Center. “We hope that ag educators and our health and industry partners will have access to new or additional funds through a simple grant process to promote agricultural safety and health in their communities.”

In this first year, we awarded three $1000 mini-grants to assist with:

  • producing Amish youth safety activity booklets by covering printing costs
  • creating an ATV/UTV lesson plan and several gear kits for a training course
  • underwriting the cost of a carotid artery screening at Penn State Ag Progress Days

Carotid Artery Screening Makes an Impact

Carotid screening at Penn State Ag Progress Days

A carotid artery screening provides early warning to people with blockages that could have caused a stroke. At Penn State’s Ag Progress Days in mid-August 2024, Holly from Prevention Health Screenings conducted 163 carotid artery screenings over three days. Of the 163 screenings, she found four participants with significant blockages in their carotid arteries and referred them to their physician. In addition, Holly also had two participants from last year come back to the tent to talk with her. The first participant had 99% carotid blockage and was able to get surgery. The other participant also had blockage and is being monitored while surgery is pending.

Plans for 2024 Awards

We will announce the 2024 mini-grant winners in early December 2024. “We’re pleased that in our first year we awarded three $1000 grants, and we’re looking forward to more applicants this year,” said NEASHC coordinator Linda Fetzer of Penn State University.

Other Membership Benefits

NEASHC also offers its members a place for professional development and networking, along with resource development and dissemination. To date we have provided NEASHC state representatives with eight safety demonstrations units, with plans for two more each year through 2027. These demos can be loaned out to any member of the coalition.

Join Us!

Becoming a NEASHC member is free and easy!

To learn more check out the NEASHC Web page or email Pauline Boyer at Northeast Center (pauline.boyer@bassett.org) or Linda Fetzer at Penn State University (lmf8@psu.edu)

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