Agricultural Safety & Health

According to the CDC, in 2023, approximately 2.3 million workers were employed in an agricultural industry. In 2022, those working in the industry had one of the highest fatal injury rates (18.6 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalents) compared to 3.7 deaths per 100,000 FTE for all US industries. Cited as leading causes were transportation incidents, violence by other people or animals, and contact with work objects. Across the industry, between 2021-2022, there were 21,020 injuries that required days away from work, with one third of those being due to falls.

As a recognized resource for safety across Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and West Virginia, we invite you to view our curated list of resources to advance agricultural worker safety and health. Should you have any questions or wish to propose an additional resource, please contact our CE Director, Dr. Carolyn Oldham at carolynoldham@uky.edu.

A prominent hazard for agricultural workers is exposure to disease-causing arthropods such as ticks and mosquitoes. The incidence of several tickborne illnesses have been increasing, and agricultural workers who spend increased time outdoors or around livestock may be at a greater risk for exposure to these vectors and the diseases they spread. Working with the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, we are collecting data on the distribution of medically relevant tick species and common tick-borne pathogens like those causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis and Lyme disease in Kentucky to gain a greater understanding of where tick vectors and pathogens are, when ticks are active, and what habitat house more robust tick populations in an effort to promote better control and mitigation stratigies.

Farmer and agricultural workers are faced with a great many circumstances over which they have little or no control—weather, crop blight, labor shortages, and the volatility of the market—which can lead to psychological distress. Additional factors that can contribute to stress include financial losses, chronic illness or pain, a sense of work-life imbalance, and/or the physical or social barriers to access mental health services. Significant psychological hazards are associated with agriculture (Gregoire, 2003), including high levels of stress (Booth & Lloyd, 2000), depression and anxiety (Eisner et al., 1998), and increased rates of suicide (Booth et al., 2000; Page & Fragar, 2002). The Southeast Center is committed to the development of community-based support systems informed by local voices to improve farmer mental health and well-being.

Distillery work is physically demanding and fraught with hazards, ranging from chemical exposures and high-temperature processes to musculoskeletal strain. Between 2020 and 2023, 438 injuries were reported among Kentucky’s distillery workers through worker’s compensation first reports of injury, with 91.8% of these injuries resulting in lost time (Mirizaian, 2025).