ELLEN DUYSEN (CS-CASH COORDINATOR): So the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, here at UNMC in the College of Public Health, has a wide range of research interests and topics. We have a mission of not only conducting research, but education and prevention programs that all lead to reducing fatalities and injuries in our agricultural community. 

ABDOULAYE ABDOULAZIZ (STUDENT): For me it is, it is really valuable because here at UNMC I got opportunities to go out there with a lot of professors that know what they are doing. One example is I\'92ve been able to participate in Husker Harvest Days, and that was a great opportunity to really meet a lot of people in the field of farming. 

AARON YODER (CS-CASH RESEARCH CORE DIRECTOR): With tractor safety and training, our outreach involves going around the state and teaching mainly 14- and 15-year-olds how to operate and work around tractors safely. 

So another topic that we oftentimes talk about at our tractor safety trainings is, we\'92ll talk about ATVs and ATV safety, or all terrain vehicles. Because traditionally we saw tractors as the main source of injury, and now we are seeing the all terrain vehicles and four wheelers climbing, if not exceeding, the number of injuries we saw from tractors. 

TODD WYATT (CS-CASH DEPUTY DIRECTOR): My main career interest is the effects of agricultural dust on lung function and lung health. I\'92m very interested in understanding why occupations where the workers are exposed to this dust may or may not get long-term chronic lung disease. I\'92m very interested in the cellular, the molecular, and the biochemical basis of these diseases. Not for the purposes of drug development or medical treatments, but rather for the purposes of that if we can understand the injury, hopefully we can understand a way to prevent the injury. So my research, even though it\'92s laboratory based, is all about prevention. And of course as we all know, prevention is the essence of public health. 

RISTO RAUTIAINEN (CS-CASH DIRECTOR): Many Native reservations now have a big interest in having a bison herd. It really is part of their heritage and it brings a lot of pride, and often these herds don\'92t really have good facilities to handle the livestock. And so we really focus on low-stress animal handling, and looking at any safety issues and personal protective equipment issues where we can help the workers. 

TODD WYATT: Farming has changed over the years. Today, we have a lot of agricultural workers who are undergoing even greater exposures, who don\'92t necessarily have the type of insurance where they can come to a tertiary care center. If they miss a day of work perhaps they don\'92t get paid. And so to be located here at the University of Nebraska, to be here in the center of the country, I think we are in a unique position to be able to address these needs that otherwise might go unmet. 

MARCELA CARVAJAL (OUTREACH PROJECT SPECIALIST):We don\'92t have a lot of research right now on immigrant workers in the area of agriculture. So what we want is to have a baseline information, and from there just provide relevant educational materials, that can help to improve the health and safety of farmworkers, cattle feedlot workers. Especially latinos, because they are a vulnerable population. 

JESSE BELL (PROFESSOR): So I study the impacts of climate change, extreme weather events on human health. And basically preparing our communities for the future events that might occur and the events that are already occurring across the state. And by events I\'92m talking about more extreme weather events, warmer temperatures, flooding, droughts, and all the other things potentially associated with the change in climate.

ELLEN DUYSEN: So at the center when we see a need, we find a way to address it. And one of the needs that we\'92ve had, especially this year in our region with a lot of flooding, is in mental health. And so we\'92re able to bring in experts not only within the university system but even some outside experts to help us know how to best address this with our farmers and ranchers. 

ALEX FARFALLA (FIELD RESEARCH ASSOCIATE): The work is important because we try to make sure that these folks are going to work and that they are coming home safe to their families and that they can do it again the next day. 

JESSE BELL: So, training the next generation is exciting, because we get the opportunity to work with individuals that are potentially going to be leaders in their field. That are going to go out there, and potentially make a difference. And so, there\'92s a lot of good work that needs to be done, and there\'92s a lot of good work that is happening. And so, if you\'92re interested, come to the University of Nebraska Medical Center and you can help move this forward.