Kentucky Health News
Farmer appreciation and a focus on farmers’ health will be the focus of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Raising Hope, Safety, Health and Rescue Program at the 60th National Farm Machinery Show.
The show, set for Feb. 11-14 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, is the country’s largest indoor farm show with more than 900 vendors.
In addition to farm safety exhibits and rescue exhibits, Raising Hope is partnering with several agencies to offer health screenings to help farmers and agricultural producers remain at their physical best, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell.
“Healthy farmers, both physically and mentally, means healthier farms,” Shell said in a news release. “For years, KDA has offered world-class safety and rescue demonstrations. Now, with our Raising Hope program, we can also focus on the health aspect of our agricultural producers. Adding health screenings during the National Farm Machinery Show allows us to fulfill our mission and promise of advocating for healthy farming communities.”
In partnership with the MASH (Mobile Agriculture Safety Health) Team, Raising Hope will offer health screenings at the show, including those for blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, hearing and carotid artery health. There will also be resources available for mental well-being and general health education. The health screenings will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST each day.
The show will also focus on farm safety, with KDA employees providing farm equipment safety demonstrations, including tractors, Power Take Off (PTO), Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS), and more. Grain bin rescue methods and accident prevention will also be demonstrated, along with information about “Share the Road” safety and signage.
Partnerships for this year’s show include Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, KY Hears/Heuser Hearing, and the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment.
According to the release, the health screenings and health education are components of the newly formed Division of Farm Safety & Rural Health, which was created to promote the physical and mental health and safety of Kentucky’s farmers and farm families. Raising Hope, which joined forces with KDA’s Farm Safety program in 2025, is supported by appropriations from the Kentucky General Assembly and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.