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.
FarmSafe Podcast
The 40 Percent Problem: Heart Health in Rural America
In this episode, Jenn Patterson sits down with Tim Nikolai, Senior Rural Health Director for the American Heart Association’s Midwest region, to discuss why rural communities face higher risks of heart disease and stroke and what can be done to change that. Tim shares how limited access to health care, healthy foods, and physical activity contributes to these disparities, while also highlighting the inspiring ways rural communities are stepping up—through partnerships with libraries, churches, schools, and local organizations—to promote heart health. The conversation explores practical strategies like the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8,” the importance of prevention, and how small, everyday choices can make a big difference, especially for farmers and rural residents. Tim also outlines opportunities for local partnerships and offers a hopeful vision for building a culture of health where the healthy choice is the easy choice in rural America.
Episode Resources
- Meeting People Where They Are: Improving Health in Collaboration with the Places Where Rural Communities Gather, American Heart Association
- Outpace CVD: A Grant Opportunity for Rural Midwest Health Care Organizations, American Heart Association
- American Heart Month 2026: American Heart Association Toolkit, American Heart Association
- American Heart Association Resources