On 13 June, SafeHabitus partner ZRC Sazu, organised an event “Good luck with your research, I hope you find what you’re looking for:” Lessons learned from Iowa farmers” featuring Brandi Janssen, a cultural anthropologist and director of Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH). Valuable lessons were shared from over 15 years of ethnographic research among Iowa farmers. Mr Janssen’s presentation focused on the social and cultural beliefs that underpin agricultural practices and reflected on more than 15 years of ethnographic research among farming communities in the US state of Iowa.
Traditionally, agricultural research has focused on agronomic and economic factors, overlooking the social and cultural influences on farmers’ behaviours and decision-making processes. However, the event highlighted the importance of understanding how different farmers interact with each other and with various farming practices, how policy and family relationships impact their decisions, and their engagement with federally funded research.
By recognising the social and cultural dimensions within farming, the insights shared by Brandi Janssen provide valuable information and inspiration for SafeHabitus. As SafeHabitus aims to strengthen farm health and safety, change unsafe habitual practices, and improve farm safety practices across the EU, events like these contribute to mutual learning, the exchange of knowledge, and a more comprehensive and collaborative approach in achieving these goals.
Within the SafeHabitus project, ZRC Sazu is leading the work on ‘Enhancing the attractiveness of farming’ with the aim to equip the farming sector with innovative solutions that increase opportunities for the most vulnerable groups, improve the attractiveness of agricultural work and reduce the feeling of being left behind.
ZRC Sazu is cooperating with within Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) the project Managing social pressures and personal distress on family farms. Learn more about the project here.