NDSU Extension Strengthens Farm Safety with New Role

By Scout Nelson

North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension has appointed Angie Johnson as the new farm and ranch safety specialist. In this role, Johnson will lead the development of a statewide agricultural safety and health program.

Her work will focus on identifying, assessing, delivering, and evaluating educational resources that address farm and ranch safety. The goal is to build a nationally recognized program that benefits NDSU Extension agents, agricultural producers, farm families, emergency responders, and mental health professionals.

Agricultural safety is a pressing issue. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, nearly one-quarter of North Dakota’s workforce is directly involved in farming, ranching, or agricultural-related industries. Nationally, production agriculture has the highest number of work-related fatalities, with 20.3 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2023, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Injuries occur at a rate of 4.2 cases per 100 full-time workers, the third-highest among all occupations.

These figures do not include self-employed farmers, ranchers, or their families, which means actual numbers are likely higher. In North Dakota, 86% of farmers and ranchers operate as family farms or are self-employed, making safety awareness even more important.

Johnson has been serving as the interim farm and ranch safety coordinator for the past three years. She also spent seven years as an NDSU Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Steele County.

A native of Galesburg, North Dakota, Johnson lives on her family’s farm, where they raise cattle and sheep and grow corn, alfalfa, and soybeans. She holds a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and a master’s degree in Extension education, both from NDSU.

Photo Credit: north-dakota-state-university