The Gothenburg Health Foundation and local community partners invite men and women to the Ag Health & Safety Event, a free day of education and support for the agricultural community. The event will be held Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, at the Dayspring Bank Event Center in Gothenburg, Nebraska, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch and cocktail hour provided.

This year’s theme, “No One Can Replace You,” emphasizes the importance of protecting the health, safety, and well-being of women and men in agriculture. Attendees will benefit from engaging keynote speakers, breakout sessions, hands-on learning opportunities, and an exhibit area showcasing valuable tools, health screenings and resources. The day will conclude with a cocktail hour, sponsored by Gothenburg Irrigation, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Registration is free and encouraged. Those who register by Feb. 1, 2025, will be entered to win a prize during the event. Register by calling 308-537-1051.

One of the event’s keynote speaker, Ellen Duysen, a research assistant professor at the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, will deliver a presentation titled, “Price of the Harvest: The Economic Cost of Agricultural Injuries and Fatalities.” With years of experience supporting agricultural workers across a seven-state region, Duysen combines her professional expertise with personal insights gained from raising hogs, cattle, and three sons.

A keynote session, “Kitchen Table Conversations: Why Social Connection is Your Most Valuable Input,” will be co-presented by Linda Emanuel and Chad Reznicek. Emanuel, a registered nurse and AgriSafe Nurse Scholar, draws on 39 years of nursing experience and her life as co-owner of a multi-generational Nebraska farm. Reznicek, a behavioral health specialist with Colorado State University Extension and the Colorado AgrAbility Project, brings two decades of experience as a licensed therapist specializing in suicide prevention and rural mental health. Together, they will address the importance of social connections, farm family relationships and mental well-being impacts in agriculture. 

Breakout sessions will include Grain Bin Safety & Accidents presented by Country Partners, Equipment Safety presented by ProValue Insurance, and Power Safety presented by Dawson Public Power District.

Interactive stations will provide hands-on learning, featuring Excavation Safety with Diggers Hotline, Basic Life Support with Gothenburg Health, Productivity & Wellbeing with Reznicek and Emanuel, and Water Quality & Nitrates with the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The Ag Health & Safety Event is made possible by the support of Gothenburg Health Foundation, Gothenburg Irrigation, the Gothenburg Chamber Ag Committee, Frito Lay, Eastside Animal Center, Dayspring Bank, Country Partners, AgriSafe, Flatwater Bank, Farmacy, Crop Tech, Landmark Implement, and ProValue Insurance.

This event promises meaningful insights, practical tools, and valuable connections for men and women in agriculture. Don’t miss this opportunity to support your health, safety, and well-being.