Recipient Organization
AGRISAFE NETWORK, INC.
8342 NICC DR
PEOSTA,IA 520689702
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project focuses on helping agricultural workers in the southeastern United States recover from Hurricane Helene and prepare for future disasters. The hurricane caused widespread damage to rural communities, including severe losses to crops like corn, soybeans, and cotton, as well as structural damage to farms. Many families and livelihoods were deeply affected, with economic losses estimated to be in the billions.To address these challenges, the project has three key goals:Provide training to at least 600 farmers and ranchers on flood recovery and emergency preparedness.Create and share educational materials on disaster response, reaching an estimated 20,000 people in rural areas.Establish a specialized team to support state leaders in disaster response and build long-term resilience.By focusing on education, resource development, and leadership support, the project aims to reduce the long-term health and economic impacts of extreme weather on agricultural communities.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Project GoalTo enhance the emergency preparedness and resilience of the agricultural workforce in southeastern U.S. states impacted by Hurricane Helene, by delivering a comprehensive program that addresses flood recovery and health and safety concerns, thereby reducing the long-term impacts of extreme weather events on agricultural communities.Project ObjectivesEducational Outreach: Educate at least 600 agricultural producers on best practices in public health, flood recovery, and emergency preparedness through tailored educational events.Resource Development and Distribution: Develop and disseminate tailored educational materials focused on public health disaster response, reaching an estimated audience of 20,000 individuals in rural agricultural communities.Capacity Building: Establish and formalize an AgriSafe Disaster Response Team to strengthen state leadership capacity in addressing natural disasters and improving disaster response infrastructure.
Project Methods
This project will utilize a structured, collaborative approach to enhance disaster preparedness andflood recovery for agricultural workers in hurricane-impacted regions across the southeastern United States. Below are the specific methodologies and activities that will guide the project's execution:(1) Stakeholder Involvement Stakeholder engagement is integral to this project's success, and stakeholders will participate in each phase. Stakeholders will be involved in the planning phase and helping refine extension education strategies. For the evaluation, stakeholders will provide feedback through FEMA intake surveys and post-training discussions, ensuring that theoutcomes align with real-world challenges and agricultural needs.(2) Sequential Project Activities The project activities will be conducted in the followingsequence:1. AgriSafe will also work with federal, state, and local agencies to schedule ARRD's in other states, as well as meeting internally to build the natural disaster response strategy.Proposed Tentative Farm Shows and EventsVirginia Farm Show - Held at the Augusta Expo in Fishersville, Virginia, this show runs from January 16-18, 2025.Southern Farm Show - Scheduled for February 5-7, 2025, at the North CarolinaState Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina.National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) - Conference will be held in Louisville, KY from May 19-22, 2025. Key event to educate andprovide agriculture-specific resources for national disaster responders.Sunbelt Ag Expo - Often called "North America's Premier Farm Show," theSunbelt Ag Expo takes place each October in Moultrie, Georgia.2. Launch digital resources and distribute printed educational materials in accessible locations for rural communities.3. Gather feedback and conduct evaluation activities to assess the impact and reach oftraining sessions and materials.4. Revise materials and educational approaches based on evaluation data to enhance ongoing support for disaster preparedness.