"Agriculture at risk: A report to the nation"--a historical review, critical analysis, and implications for future planning.
"Agricultural at Risk: A Report to the Nation" is a proceedings document of a three-year (1987-1990) policy development process entitled "Agricultural Occupational and Environmental Health: Policy Strategies for the Future." That process culminated in the emergence of occupational health and safety in agriculture as a public health policy issue in the U.S. Several agricultural health and safety programs evolved as direct or indirect consequences of this process, including, but not limited to, the NIOSH agricultural occupational health programs, The Kellogg Foundation agricultural health grants programs, and the prospective chronic health studies of pesticides (EPA-NlH funded). The Agriculture at Risk report resulted in 86 specific recommendations. The authors of this article reviewed each of these recommendations and rated them on a subjective scale as to their degree of attainment. They found that 44% of the recommendations had received moderate to substantial action. Most of the positive action was in the areas of research and coalition building. A noticeable lack of action was in the areas of standards and regulation, occupational health service delivery, and education categories. This article concludes with an analysis of the limitations of the AAR report, changes in exposed populations over the past decade, and specific recommendations on future actions to address the issues.
Donham
K J
KJ
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA. kelley-donham@uiowa.edu
Storm
J F
JF
D000383:Agriculture; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006077:Government Agencies; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006265:Health Care Coalitions / Q000458:organization & administration; D006285:Health Planning; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012952:Societies; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities