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The University of Florida has received a grant of nearly $10 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the National Institute of Occupational Safety and 网红黑料, or NIOSH, for a five-year project to explore the occupational safety and health of people working in agriculture, fishing and forestry in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North and South Carolina.

The goal of the new center is to conduct research and educational activities designed to promote occupational health and safety among Florida鈥檚 47,000 farm operators and their families, as well as their employees and contractors.

鈥淢uch of the data about Florida鈥檚 agricultural safety and health is over a decade old,鈥� said , director of and a professor in the and the . 鈥淲e need to add to the body of knowledge about farming, fishing and forestry workers in the region, so we proposed establishing a center that will facilitate collaboration with researchers throughout the Southeast.鈥�

Morris is the director of the center, called the Southeastern and Coastal Center for Agricultural Safety and 网红黑料, or SEC-CAgSH. It will be the 11th U.S. Agricultural Safety and 网红黑料 center sponsored by NIOSH.

While the University of Florida is the hosting institution, researchers from the University of South Florida, Florida State University, Emory University and Florida A&M have all agreed to work together on projects aiming to better understand the region鈥檚 occupational safety and health needs. NIOSH has awarded the grant to UF鈥檚 College of Public 网红黑料 and 网红黑料 Professions. Researchers from several UF colleges will participate.

鈥淭his center provides an exciting opportunity for UF faculty to use their scientific expertise to address vital public health questions that will enhance the safety and well-being of people whose work is critical to our agricultural and seafood industries,鈥� said , dean of the .

Faculty members from the , or IFAS, are also involved in the project.

鈥淧rotecting the health of those who provide the labor for the $155 billion-a-year agriculture and natural resources industry has long been a focus area of IFAS research and Extension,鈥� said , senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources. 鈥淯F is particularly qualified to address such complexities because of the comprehensive expertise it has.

鈥淭he partnership between IFAS research and Extension, PHHP and EPI will create a powerful interdisciplinary focus on agricultural safety and health that will provide the industry with the tools and training to maintain a healthy workforce,鈥欌�� Payne said.

The center will provide an opportunity to expand UF鈥檚 current training and outreach programs throughout the state and eventually the Southeast region, while developing new educational materials and methods of dissemination for diverse audiences.

Several projects are already underway. , an associate professor in the , serves as the center鈥檚 associate director and lead investigator of the research project focused on Gulf seafood worker safety.

Seafood industry workers are exposed to some of the greatest occupational risks nationally, according to Kane. While there are numerous anecdotal reports of injuries, very little data exists on worker health and safety in this largely self-employed and self-insured population. Kane鈥檚 team seeks to extend current knowledge about everyday hazards and risks in northeastern Gulf fisheries through surveys, direct observations, community engagement and expanded academic and community partnerships. The team will then develop, implement and assess community-based training activities aimed at reducing injuries.

, and , will also lead projects at the center. Glass, a professor of geography and a member of the , will use remote sensing technology to estimate the levels of pesticide and herbicide usage in Florida鈥檚 croplands. Grzywacz, a professor in Florida State University鈥檚 College of Human Sciences and the chair of the department of family and child sciences, will develop and test whether safety and education materials produce changes in safety behaviors among Latino farmworkers.

, a professor in UF/IFAS and the chair of the , will oversee the center鈥檚 outreach and community engagement efforts.

鈥淥ur role in the center will entail working with communities to identify the particular needs that are specific to agricultural production in Florida and the Southeast,鈥� Irani said. 鈥淲e also plan to develop new materials and utilize new media to reach our target populations in new ways.鈥�

Agriculture, fishing and forestry comprise a multibillion-dollar industry in the state of Florida. Florida is the second largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetable crops in the nation. Oranges alone generate more than $1.3 billion of annual sales, ranking as Florida鈥檚 second most important single commodity after greenhouse/nursery products, according to the USDA. The farm value of fresh market tomatoes, the state鈥檚 third most important commodity, averages about $500 million annually.

The production and harvesting of these and other specialty crops grown in Florida depends on agricultural workers who produce and harvest citrus, fresh market vegetables, strawberries, blueberries and melons, as well as ornamental plants for the landscape and environmental horticulture sector.

According to a UF/IFAS study, one acre of tomatoes is estimated to require more than 200 labor hours to plant, grow, harvest and pack for the fresh market. One acre of citrus harvesting requires between 50 and 60 hours of manual labor.