The National Institute for Farm Safety (NIFS) will conduct its annual conference June 22nd through June 26th 2008 with the theme Sowing the Wind with Safety and Health. It will be held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a region steeped in agriculture including one of the largest Anabaptist (Amish, Mennonite, Old River Brethren, etc.) populations in the United States. The long-range objectives of NIFS and the annual conference are to play an active role in contributing to the reduction of agricultural injuries. This is accomplished through: a) providing professional development of agricultural safety and health professionals; and b) national and international leadership in agricultural safety and health. The annual conference is the main means of working towards these goals. The specific objectives of the annual conference are to: a) exchange and disseminate information on agricultural injury and health prevention research and activities; b) provide opportunities for professional development through an environment conducive to networking, collaboration, and linkage-building; and c) exhibit leadership in identifying and addressing current agricultural safety and health issues. A conference coordinating committee is convened for the purpose of planning the conference, including site selection and agenda, issuing a request for technical paper abstracts, and reviewing and evaluating abstracts based on relevance to NIFS objectives. Planning includes incorporating evaluation data from previous conferences. The conference program includes presentations of plenary sessions, technical papers, posters, injury prevention programs, and safety-focused technical tours of area agricultural operations. The 2008 conference will include a special presentation of Sowing the Wind a farm safety play, developed utilizing the research-based Theatre- In-Education model. Additionally, NIFS issue area committees meet to address timely agricultural safety and health issues. Project Narrative Presentations and activities at the 2008 NIFS conference will address CDC focus areas of Injury and Violence Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health, and Education and Community-Based Programs. In addition, it addresses the Healthy People 2010 overall goals to: a) reduce injuries, disabilities, and deaths due to unintentional injuries and violence; b) promote the health and safety of people at work through prevention and early intervention; and c) increase the quality, availability, and effectiveness of educational and community-based programs designed to prevent disease and improve health and quality of life. The conference also addresses the specific Healthy People 2010 goal to: a) reduce the rate of adolescent worker injuries to 3.4 injuries per 100 full time equivalents (FTE) and reduce occupational agricultural fatalities from 24.1 per 100 FTE to 16.0 per 100 FTE by 2010. ? ? ?
