Giving older farmers dinner and a show, with safety messages, makes them safer farmers, a study concludes

Deborah Reed
(Photo by Mark Cornelison)

An award-winning program that aims to educate older farmers on safe practices is remarkably effective, a recent study shows. University of Kentucky nursing professor Deborah Reed came up with the idea for Farm Dinner Theater a few years ago after reading research that found that older farmers are more likely to absorb and implement safety advice from other farmers, especially from stories about real situations. 

At Farm Dinner Theater, participants are treated to a free meal while they watch each other performing funny skits about serious topics such as wearing ear protection. A recent study by Reed and other researchers at UK and the University of Alabama backs up her concept, finding that participants were more likely than those who read safety pamphlets to report embracing safer practices on the farm. Participants were also more likely to report making more changes than those who simply read pamphlets. Read more here.