FarmSafe Podcast

In the blink of an eye a farm injury can change your life. Sharing stories of events, close-calls, and effective safety strategies can help you identify on farm risks and figure out ways to prevent devastating injuries and illnesses. The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health presents FarmSafe, a podcast dedicated to sharing stories and tips to help make your work on the farm safer and healthier. Original music for the FarmSafe podcast was written and performed by Ben Schmidt. This work was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health. The content does not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC or NIOSH.

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FarmSafe Podcast

Harnessing Fire for Farm Health

July 30, 2025 • Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health • Season 4 • Episode 13

Prescribed fire has evolved from ancient, indigenous land care to a modern toolbox in conservation and sustainable agriculture. Mechanization and chemical substitutes led to its decline, but renewed interest—rooted in both ecological science and cultural revival—has reinvigorated prescribed burning as a vital, multi-purpose land management practice. Amanda Stallman joins us for this episode to provide valuable insight for modern practices and resources like local fire departments, colleges, and land trusts can help farmers learn and utilize prescribed fires.

Episode Resources

Prescribed Fire ‘how-to’ videos:

Tallgrass Prairie Center – “Basic Prescribed Fire Techniques – Demonstration Burn” and “Conducting A Prescribed Burn” videos towards the bottom: https://tallgrassprairiecenter.org/videos
ISU-Extension – Planning a prescribed burn series of videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkEiJv9k6M1hUflhvVGvqMt1p7H-v3Oc

Basic Smoke Management Practices

Local USDA Service Center Finder/Contact – Find prescribed burn plan template/job sheet and local contractors list: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app