Not just another webinar: UMASH Expo to launch virtually

When COVID-19 shut down county fair and outdoor trade show season across Minnesota, the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) challenged themselves to adapt and curate a unique virtual trade show. Their task? Try to avoid being just another webinar. Oh, and cut the planning time in half.

“We wanted to find a way to really engage with the agriculture community,” says Megan Schossow, UMASH’s outreach coordinator. “We started planning in early May. We could’ve used more time, but everything has changed so fast this year. If we were to do something in-person, we’d normally start in the winter. We’ve learned a lot.”

This year, UMASH is bringing its in-person exhibit virtually via Zoom. The free UMASH Online Expo: A 20/20 Look at Ag Health, Safety and Wellness launches Monday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 13.

“Since we weren’t able to have those interactions (we’d normally have), we needed to pivot and find a way to still have these conversations and share this information in a way that’s not just passive, but active,” Schossow says.

The exhibit begins with a live Twitter chat on Aug. 10 at noon to allow participants to connect with other organizations and learn more about health and safety resources throughout the Upper Midwest. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen will introduce Tuesday’s segment, and is expected to highlight MDA’s mental health outreach and the expansion of its Farm and Rural Helpline. University of Minnesota Extension advocates will also be on-hand to discuss preventive care and when it’s safe and appropriate to use N-95 masks on the farm.

“The program is going to be all live and people will be able to interact with the speakers,” Schossow says.

The expo will showcase demos each day at noon, with focuses on grain bin safety, tractor safety and a tutorial on ATV/UTVs. The EXPO will also feature Jeopardy for kids, along with a webinar on cultivating resiliency for women in agriculture. About 40 experts in their respective fields will appear over the course of the webinar.

“Agriculture is hazardous work,” says UMASH Director Jeff Bender. “It’s important to keep our farmers, farm workers and their families safe. That’s why we created this free online expo. We wanted to create a sense of community and some fun. Please join us.”

The entire webinar is free, and will be recorded and archived.

“We’ve been hearing a lot about the need for an event like this to continue, and there are a lot of reasons why,” Schossow says. “People are stressed, but we’re happy to do what we can.”