November/December 2026 Our Ohio
The theme of the November/December issue of Our Ohio magazine is health, safety and risk, and we explore all three in various ways.
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Key Points
- Ohio averages 11 farm-related deaths and 2,100 serious injuries annually, highlighting the urgent need for safety training.
- OSU CFAES provided practical first responder training on manure pit rescues, livestock transport accidents and rural firefighting.
- Training focused on air-quality monitoring, retrieval equipment and standardized protocols to safely manage agricultural and livestock emergencies.
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First responder on-farm safety training is invaluable.
Emergencies can unfold in places and situations many firefighters, paramedics or police officers rarely encounter: inside a manure pit, alongside an overturned livestock trailer or miles from the nearest municipal fire hydrant.
At this year’s Farm Science Review in September, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences helped first responders prepare for those moments through hands-on education in manure pit rescue, livestock emergencies, rural water access and firefighting.
The need is significant. Farm incidents claim 11 lives in Ohio each year, while another 2,100 serious injuries are reported annually to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, according to Dee Jepsen, agricultural safety specialist with Ohio State University Extension, CFAES’ outreach arm.
Two specialized, hands-on training sessions addressed high-risk agricultural emergencies: manure pit rescues in confined spaces and roadside livestock transportation accidents.
Led by Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, the manure pit rescue and confined space training session guided firefighters, emergency personnel and local farmers through the hazards of manure storage facilities.
Participants learned air-quality monitoring techniques and practiced using body harnesses, lifelines and retrieval equipment designed for safe confined-space rescues.
“On-farm manure storage poses a risk for injury or death not only to farmers, but to those who respond to emergencies on the farm,” said Neenan. “This training saves lives, and it is important for rural volunteer firefighters to train in agricultural rescue techniques. Many rural departments have not had training with confined space incidents, which could place both the victim and firefighters in danger.”
The safety series also included livestock transportation and bovine emergency training. Accidents involving livestock transport vehicles present unique challenges for emergency responders.
This session provided law enforcement, first responders and emergency management agencies with standardized protocols to safely, humanely and efficiently manage roadside incidents involving livestock.
“Livestock are transported on Ohio roadways every day, and most trips occur without incident. However, when a crash or emergency does occur, it is critical that responders know how to react safely, humanely and efficiently,” Jepsen said. “Agricultural emergencies are not the time for first responders to learn livestock-handling skills for the first time. Realistic training provides the knowledge, confidence and experience needed to reduce injuries to emergency personnel and minimize animal suffering.”
County Farm Bureaus also encourage ag safety training throughout the year. Crawford, Marion, Morrow and Richland County Farm Bureaus hosted a livestock transportation emergency response training in July.
What’s Next
Members enrolled with the Ohio Farm Bureau workers’ compensation group with Sedgwick were able to use the seminar to fulfill their annual safety requirement.
Visit your county Farm Bureau website to see when another safety training may happen in your area.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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