This Center

Investigators

Membership

NIOSH Centers

The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety was established in 1990 through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). The center is one of nine agricultural health and safety centers established in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control for the purpose of protecting and improving the health and safety of the nation's farmers, farmworkers, and consumers. California is the leading agricultural state in the country, consuming and exporting a range and multitude of products. Together with the other Western states, California is also home to a number of types of farm, from family businesses to corporate megadairies, all of which employ family members, farmworkers and laborers from many countries and cultures.

Director Dr. Marc Schenker heads up an interdisciplinary team of investigators who collaborate on scientific studies of the challenging aspects of agriculture affecting health and safety. Current areas of research and outreach include:

• Musculoskeletal Injury and Ergonomics
• Neurotoxicity and Pesticides
• Respiratory Diseases
• Industrial Hygiene and Exposure Assessment
• Socioeconomic Impacts on Health Behaviors
• Environmental Risk Assessment
• Evaluation and Biostatistics
• Costs and Financial Effects of Adverse Health Outcomes

The Center has benefited from its affiliation with the UC Davis Medical School and the Department of Public Health Sciences. Drawing on the resources of the University, the Center fosters the communication of ideas through a quarterly newsletter, monthly seminars and periodic conferences and presentations.

The Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program dedicated to the understanding and prevention of illness and injury in Western agriculture. The Center is located at the University of California, Davis, with collocated Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and a land grant College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. It benefits from collaborations with the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, various state agencies stakeholders and NGOs. The state capitol in Sacramento, 12 miles from Davis, is home to the state Departments of Health Services, Food and Agriculture, and Environmental Protection. This large, diverse, multidisciplinary expertise provides a wealth of resources and experience to the Center, and access to populations and contacts in the field.

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