Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety - NEC

08/14/2025

NEC Research Scientist Mandy Roome, PhD, has been leading our efforts in tick and tick-borne illness research for a few years now. She's used to seeing big names associated with her work like borrelia bacteria and anaplasmosis, but Justin Timberlake is a new one!

Lyme disease has both serious short- and long-term impacts on your health. Be sure to heed Mandy's (or Justin's) words of caution and take measures to protect yourself! There are lots of available resources to help you learn how to prevent tick bites and lower your risk of related illnesses.

A tiny tick bite can lead to a life-altering illness. And this year tick bites are way up. What's going on?

07/30/2025

Last month, Northeast Center staff had the pleasure of hosting the annual International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) conference in Portland, Maine!

The ISASH organization and conference bring together agricultural safety and health professionals from around the world in order to share ideas and advance the field of occupational safety and health. Read more about this year's conference below!

PORTLAND, ME – From June 23-26, Northeast Center staff hosted the annual International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) conference in Portland, Maine. The ISASH organization and conference bring together professionals from around the world in order to share ideas and advance the ...

07/29/2025

It's time to make your a reality!

The Northeast Center has opened applications for the second round of funding through our IdeasThatWork Incubator. If you have an innovative idea to improve the health and safety of farmers, loggers, or commercial fishermen working in the U.S., this is your opportunity to turn that idea into a reality.

Proposals are due by September 30. Start your application today:

The IdeasThatWork Incubator provides support for the development of innovative ideas to improve the health and safety of agriculture, forestry, and/or commercial fishing workers.

07/15/2025

Today, our Director Julie Sorensen is in NYC presenting to the UN on drowning prevention practices in the Northeast!

Tune in this afternoon at 1:15 p.m. EST for a look at our work and the progress being made around the world to promote the safety of commercial fishermen.

Side event on 'Advancing Evidence-Based Solutions for Drowning Prevention in Fisheries and the Blue Economy' in the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum.

06/16/2025

Women in ag across the Northeast: SUNY Morrisville graduate students want to hear from you! Through the survey linked below, their goal is to better understand the pivotal moments, professional development opportunities, and persistent challenges women encounter on their journeys to leadership roles in the industry.

Informed Consent

06/05/2025

Very excited to share the big rebrand announcement on behalf of our NYCAMH colleagues! Be sure to check out the new and improved nycamh.org for a great look at all their hard work over the past few months.

We've been holding on to a big announcement...

NYCAMH is rebranding! After many months of hard work, we are proud to unveil our new logo.

We’re still the same NYCAMH you’ve come to know and trust since 1988; we’re just looking a little different these days. We are thrilled to finally introduce you to our new look and hope you are just as excited as we are.

05/20/2025

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month! At the NEC, we see the difficulties farmers and farmworkers face when it comes to caring for their mental health. This interview by AgProud is a great look at why it's so important to talk about it and what it means in the farming community.

The phrase “mental health” is becoming more talked about in the agriculture industry, but it’s still a subject that often leads to feelings of discomfort and embarrassment.

05/13/2025

Last week, five NEC/NYCAMH staff members attended the Northeast Ag Safety and Health Coalition (NEASHC) spring meeting in State College, PA alongside educators from five other states in the Northeast. The coalition participated in traditional education as well as on-farm learning opportunities thanks to our friends at Penn State!

05/12/2025

Today's Farm to Fork episode from North Shore Productions features an interview with our colleague Dr. Jeff Bender from the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center: https://www.northshoreproductions.com/index_htm_files/farmtofork-051225.mp3

In just over two minutes, Dr. Bender highlights the importance of the Agricultural Health and Safety Centers around the country and what the farm community will stand to lose if proposed cuts to NIOSH proceed.

04/28/2025

Today, April 28, is Workers Memorial Day, in honor of those who have lost their lives on the job. This day also commemorates the adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. securing the right to a safe working environment for every worker, in every industry.

Agriculture and forestry are two of the most dangerous industries for workers in the United States. At the Northeast Center, we believe workers in these industries deserve the chance to make a living without occupational risk.

With the publication of our 2024 Northeast Agricultural and Logging Fatality Report, we recognize that each person represented is a tragic loss and we honor their memory in our mission to prevent future fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.

https://necenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEC-Fatality-Report-2024-web.pdf

04/24/2025

Registration is now open for our next Fields of Knowledge session with NEC Research Scientist Dr. Conor Hammersley! On May 1, our moderated panel will discuss the impact of Technology and Mechanization on the ag industry. Register today at the link below.

Join us on May 1 for our next Fields of Knowledge: Conversations about Farmer Health and Safety! This session's panel will discuss Technology and Mechanization, opening a conversation about the role of technological advancements in agriculture and their influence on farm health and safety.

Register today at https://bassett.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2gd0es-2Q6uNKrAdUEAo4g #/registration

See you there!

04/16/2025

Wondering about the recent cuts to NIOSH? Check out this great message by our colleague in Michigan. This short video is a must-watch introduction to the impact on centers like ours that receive research funding from NIOSH.

"What if I told you that for just $2.20 per worker annually, we could prevent workplace injuries and illnesses that cost our economy $250 billion each year?"...