Flooding on fruit and vegetable farms introduces contaminants and new food safety challenges. This quick guide covers the types of flooding, sources of contamination, guidelines, preventative measures, and recommendations for farmers. 

Quick Guide to Flood Food Safety for Fruit and Vegetable Farmers

We have all watched the evening news and seen horses stranded in floods or have heard about the latest barn fire in our communities. Every year, floods in the United States cause $2 billion in damage and animals risk death from hypothermia or drowning. Annually more than 300,000 people are driven from their homes by floods. An estimated 20,000 agricultural fires per year result in $102 million in direct property loss.

Storm Preparedness Series: How to Prepare for Equine Disasters Fact Sheet

Buildings need to provide a safe environment for workers and animals. Historically, agricultural buildings were considered of “low importance,” so structural load reductions of roughly 20 percent may have been applied in the design. If there were no engineered building prints or structural inspections, the owner assumed responsibility for building design.

Storm Preparedness Series: Reducing Storm Damage to Your Barn Fact Sheet

In order to have a successful trip with your horse, there are some safety considerations involved. It is important to know how to safely load and trailer your horse. Unsafe trailering and loading can lead to accidents and health concerns.

Storm Preparedness Series: Safely Trailering and Loading Your Horse Fact Sheet

Fire safety may not be a thought on every horse owner’s mind, but it should be in order to prevent tragedy from occurring. It seems like every horse owner knows stories of horrific barn fires and you certainly don’t want to be the next one! The burning rate of loose straw is 3 times that of gasoline. The burning time of a 12’ by 12’ stall is approximately 90 seconds. You have 30 seconds to get a horse from a stall after the stall ignites, so start planning what to do NOW! There are three major aspects to fire safety: prevention, preparation for fire, and action to take when a fire occurs.

Storm Preparedness Series: Fire Safety - Prevent, Prepare and Take Action! Fact Sheet

A hurricane gets its energy from the condensation of the water vapor of the tropical atmosphere in West Africa or the Southern Gulf of Mexico into droplets. Once rotation is initiated due to instability in the atmosphere, the latent heat is released and creates a huge wind force and precipitation potential.

Preparing Your Greenhouse for a Hurricane Fact Sheet

A hurricane gets its energy from the condensation of the water vapor of the tropical atmosphere in West Africa or the Southern Gulf of Mexico into droplets. Once rotation is initiated due to instability in the atmosphere, the latent heat is released and creates a huge wind force and precipitation potential.

Wind Loads on Greenhouses Fact Sheet