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Outreach team at information table

WCAHS Education and Outreach Expands

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on May 19, 2017
WCAHS Education and Outreach received a five-fold increase in funding with the 2016-2021 grant renewal and is putting these new resources to good use.
Almond tree blossoms

WCAHS Director Marc Schenker Retiring

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on May 19, 2017

Dr. Marc Schenker, Director of the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS), is retiring at the end of June.

Dr. Schenker founded the WCAHS, one of the original two National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health Agricultural Centers.  There are now 11 regional centers covering the United States. WCAHS’s region includes Arizona, California, Hawai’i, and Nevada. Dr. Schenker has directed WCAHS for over 25 years.

Dairy Cow in Field

Free: Dairy Safety Training Guide in English or Spanish

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on April 25, 2017
Dairy workers are especially at risk for injury (fatal and non-fatal) from accidents with animals and machinery. Download a free dairy safety training guide in English or Spanish.
Farmworker hoeing

Bleak Outlook for California Farmworker Health Coverage Prospects

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on February 27, 2017
Approximately half of California’s 650,000 farmworkers have no health care coverage. The other half receives seasonal coverage from their employer for a few months of the year and/or relies on Medi-Cal / Covered California eligibility.
Research
One Health Knights Landing

WCAHS Participates in Knights Landing Health Fair

February 10, 2017
This past October, WCAHS participated in a community health fair held at the Knights Landing United Methodist church. Many different organizations, including WCAHS, set up tents and booths in the church courtyard to provide free health and safety information as well as basic health screenings.

Fighting in the Dirt

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on November 30, 2016
Biosolarization simply means harvesting the power of biology (bio) plus the sun (sol) to kill pests. Add plastic and compost, and you are ready to roll.
Research

Protect Yourself with Integrated Pest Management

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on November 15, 2016
University of California Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) program. IPM provides scientifically based information on how to effectively deal with pests whether they are natural or exotic or in urban, agricultural, wildland or natural areas.

Students Study Effects of Ag Particulate Matter Exposure

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on October 31, 2016
This issue highlights three students who have worked with WCAHS Associate Director, Dr. Kent Pinkerton, to better understand how exposure to California agricultural particulate matter contributes to allergic airway inflammation.
Research
Biosolarization team in the field

Simmons Studies Alternative to Soil Fumigation

Posted by Suzette Smiley-Jewell on October 31, 2016

WCAHS welcomes new investigator Dr. Christopher Simmons to the research team. Simmons, an Assistant Professor in the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, will be conducting a study on biosolarization as an alternative technology to soil fumigation. Soil fumigants are used to kill nematodes, weeds, bacteria, fungi, and insects that damage crops. Here, he talks about his research.

Research
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