Nebraska Project Helps Young Farmers and Ranchers Prepare for Natural Disasters
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Young farmers and ranchers in Nebraska are gaining practical tools to prepare for floods, fires and tornadoes through a University of Nebraska Extension project focused on building disaster resilience in agricultural communities.
With support from a Development Grant from the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), the Building Resilience Through Preparedness: Empowering Young Farmers and Ranchers to Thrive Amid Natural Disasters project developed educational resources designed to help agricultural producers understand disaster risks and take steps to prepare before an emergency occurs.
The project created separate educational presentations addressing fires, floods and tornadoes, along with a comprehensive Disaster Preparation Guide bringing preparedness information for all three hazards together in one resource.
““Producers now have information to help them develop a disaster plan,” said Randall Saner, project lead with University of Nebraska Extension.
The resources were initially incorporated into Nebraska Extension’s tractor and equipment safety certification programming, reaching 60 young participants.
As part of the program, participants completed emergency contact information developed through the project as an assignment toward their tractor safety certification, helping translate disaster preparedness education into an immediate, practical action.
Pre- and post-program assessments were also developed to evaluate changes in participant knowledge and help Extension educators measure the effectiveness of the materials.
The project brought together expertise from University of Nebraska Extension and safety professionals from the University of Nebraska Medical Center to develop resources that address the realities agricultural producers may encounter during disasters.
That collaborative approach has also created opportunities to use the materials beyond the original program. Resources have been shared with Nebraska’s EDEN network for use by other Extension professionals, and Nebraska Extension’s Weather Ready Farms program has expressed interest in incorporating the materials into its programming.
“Preparedness is especially important in agriculture, where a disaster can affect a family, a business and a community at the same time,” said Fred Schlutt, EDEN Project Manager. “Projects like this give Extension professionals practical resources they can use before disaster strikes, helping producers make plans that can support faster and safer response and recovery.”
The materials are designed for continued use in producer meetings, webinars and other Extension programming and will be made available to Nebraska Extension professionals for future disaster preparedness education.
By incorporating disaster preparedness into existing agricultural education programs, the project creates opportunities to reach producers before an emergency and encourage preparedness as part of routine farm and ranch management.
The project also provides a model that can be adapted for use beyond Nebraska, helping Extension professionals in other states prepare agricultural producers for the natural hazards most relevant to their communities.
To learn more about the EDEN Development Grants Program, visit the EDEN website at extensiondisaster.net.
