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
Protecting Youth in Agriculture: Inside the 2025 National Action Plan
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In this episode, FarmSafe sits down with Andrea Swenson, director of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, to discuss the newly updated 2025 National Action Plan for Childhood Agricultural Safety. Drawing on her upbringing on a Wisconsin dairy farm and years of professional experience, Swenson explains why agriculture can be both an incredible developmental opportunity for youth and one of the most hazardous environments they may encounter. The conversation explores why the national plan was updated for the first time since 2012, reflecting major shifts in agriculture such as automation, artificial intelligence, climate-related extreme weather, labor shortages, and changing farm structures. Swenson outlines the plan’s seven priority areas: leadership, injury and exposure data, public policy, organizational policy, research, dissemination and implementation, and preparedness for emerging threats.
Episode Resources
- National Action Plan
- Templates for model Farm Safety Policies can be found at