Approved December 3, 2020
AgriSafe is a national 501©3 organization representing health and safety professionals who strive to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community. Our mission is to support a growing network of trained agricultural health and safety professionals that assure access to preventative services for farm families and the agricultural community.
AgriSafe is committed to protecting the health and safety of everyone working in agriculture and especially those who experience racism and other risks that increase vulnerability. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) experience disproportionate rates of poor health outcomes for physical and mental health. Racism has been identified as a public health crisis by professionals, cities, and municipalities across the nation. Racism impacts social determinants of health by disrupting the distribution of money, power and resources at national and local levels (WHO). For example, BIPOC populations experience structural racism through unfair practices that limit access to financial resources and fair working conditions.
Tackling racism as a public health issue is an important priority for AgriSafe staff, board members and stakeholders. It requires an examination of hidden, sometimes unconscious, biases in nearly every arena of daily life, from labor relationships to health care access. AgriSafe will invest in personal and professional growth in working against multidimensional aspects of racism, seek diversity in our partnerships, board leadership, staffing, and programs. We recognize the need for critical changes in policy and action towards racial justice and call on our partners to join us in creating this transformation.