Department of Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
J Agromedicine. 2021 Jul;26(3):352-359. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2021.1927925. Epub 2021 Jul 10.
Dairy farms that had participated in previous and ongoing projects with the National Farm Medicine Center (NFMC), Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN), and Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) were asked to participate in a 17-question survey by phone or email to investigate biosecurity principles on Minnesota and Wisconsin dairy farms in response to COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic on the dairy industry. Three additional farms were recruited via a press release published in agricultural newsletters. Of 76 farms contacted, 37 chose to participate in this study from June to July 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, dairies have implemented or increased biosecurity measures and COVID-19 precautions. Dairies reported adequate personal protective equipment for their workers, though face masks were not required on most dairies (n = 32, 86%). Producers were concerned about the safety of their families, maintaining a healthy workforce, and keeping their farms profitable. Access to healthcare was not perceived to be an issue for their workers. One-quarter of dairies reported COVID-19 infections on their farms. Even though the majority had an isolation protocol in place if someone on the farm were to become ill, less than half of respondents felt their farm was protected against COVID-19. Two-thirds of producers have not had to decrease production, and a majority of operations have not furloughed or terminated employees due to COVID-19. Our data suggest that dairy farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin have implemented biosecurity and safety measures in response to COVID-19. These measures can be improved. Farms would benefit from additional guidance and education on implementation of personal protective measures and disease prevention strategies to keep workers employed and safe.
已参与过国家农场医药中心 (NFMC)、移民临床医生网络 (MCN) 和中西部农业安全与健康中心 (UMASH) 之前和正在进行的项目的奶牛场，被要求通过电话或电子邮件参与一项针对明尼苏达州和威斯康星州奶牛场的 COVID-19 生物安全原则和大流行对奶业影响的 17 个问题调查。另外通过在农业通讯中发布新闻稿招募了 3 个额外的农场。在联系的 76 个农场中，有 37 个农场选择在 2020 年 6 月至 7 月期间参与这项研究。为应对 COVID-19 大流行，奶牛场已经实施或增加了生物安全措施和 COVID-19 预防措施。奶牛场报告称为其工人提供了足够的个人防护设备，尽管大多数奶牛场（n=32，86%）没有要求戴口罩。养殖户担心其家人的安全、保持健康的劳动力队伍和保持农场盈利。工人获得医疗保健服务似乎不成问题。四分之一的奶牛场报告称其农场出现了 COVID-19 感染。尽管大多数奶牛场如果有工人患病已经制定了隔离协议，但不到一半的受访者认为他们的农场能够免受 COVID-19 侵害。三分之二的养殖户没有减产，由于 COVID-19，大多数运营者没有裁员或终止员工合同。我们的数据表明，明尼苏达州和威斯康星州的奶牛场已经采取了生物安全和安全措施来应对 COVID-19。这些措施可以进一步完善。为了使工人保持就业和安全，农场将从个人防护措施实施和疾病预防策略方面的额外指导和教育中受益。
