This week on Rural Health Leadership Radio, we’re talking about occupational health issues within the agricultural community. We are having that conversation with Knesha Rose-Davison, the Health Communications Director at AgriSafe.
“We known farming is a tough occupation but they have some of the hardest working, and most dedicated people…”
~Knesha Rose-Davison
Knesha was born in Arkansas Delta, with many of her family members working in agriculture. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 2002, and in 2016, obtained a certificate in Agricultural Medicine, focusing on rural occupational health and environmental health safety. At AgriSafe, they focus on protecting the people that feed the world, and through the Total Farmer Health Program, Knesha and her team is able to look at all of the potential factors that can affect a producer’s health and wellbeing.
“Everything impacts a farmer or producer’s life and we have to take that into consideration…and try to provide information to help them alleviate some of those concerns…”
~Knesha Rose-Davison
Knesha also serves as the 72nd president of the Louisiana Public Health Association and is a March of Dimes Gretchen C. Carlson Advocacy fellow. She has covered the spectrum on care, ranging from infants to the elderly, and eventually took her position with AgriSafe, bringing her back to her Delta roots. Knesha has over twelve years of public health experience, and is passionate about serving vulnerable populations and increasing health care access and equity.
Below are the resources mentioned during our conversation:
- AgriSafe Mental Health Resource
- Total Farmer Health (web link) https://www.agrisafe.org/total-farmer-health
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-327-6243 http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
- Farm Aid Farmer Hotline: 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243)
- https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/
- AgriSafe Think Tank