This annual award recognizes individuals or organizations in the public or private sector in Iowa who have made substantial or long-term contributions to the health and safety of Iowa’s agricultural community.
CRITERIA: All Iowans or organizations are eligible for the award. Nominees should have a substantial contribution to the improvement of agricultural safety and health through lifetime achievement or outstanding merit. Prevention, education, program evaluation, policy education, policy development, media, and organizational infrastructure are potential areas for consideration.
The recipient is requested to attend the awards presentation at the annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health Conference, held in November.
Hall of Fame Award Winners, Roger and Sally Stutsman
Roger and Sally farm in Hills Iowa and have been married for 48 years. Roger is also a partner in Eldon Stutsman, Inc., his family’s farm service, supply, and equipment company. Sally served on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and was later elected to the Iowa House of Representatives, serving two terms. She was well known for being willing to tackle difficult issues and find solutions, particularly for rural farm families.
Roger and Sally had one child, Michael, who grew up on the farm. Mike moved away to attend college and then worked for the state of Washington’s Conservation Corps in fish and wildlife conservation. In the mid 2000’s, Mike moved back to the Hills area join the family farming operation. He and his wife Jessica started a local food production farm called “Dirty Face Creek Farm” and had a daughter, Sophie. Mike also helped with the family commodity operation. In late November of 2008, Mike was killed in a farm harvesting injury event.
Kelley Donham, one of those who nominated Roger and Sally, noted “in too many instances like this, the grieving of surviving relatives can be over bearing. But Roger decided that he was going to do what he could to make sure no other family experienced this kind of tragedy.”
Roger co-founded the Rural Health and Safety Clinic of Eastern Iowa (RHC). He has served as president of this organization and has given effective talks to various groups on the subject of farm safety. He has assembled an impressive and committed board to guide the RHC, and has raised funds to support its activities. He has been a member of the National Certified Safe Farm Coalition and serves on the advisory board of Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health.
Donham stated, “Roger and Sally’s commitment and energy to the mission of farm safety has been infectious and effective. There have been few active farm families to receive the I-CASH Hall of Fame award; the Stusmans are duly qualified to receive it.”
Previous Hall of Fame Award Recipients
NOMINATION MATERIALS:
- Nominators should prepare a brief letter explaining why the nominee is an excellent candidate for the award. Describe the level of success of the effort, how the target audience was affected, or the long-standing impact on agricultural health and safety.
- Optional supporting materials may include:
- additional letter(s) of recommendation from an individual familiar with the nominee’s agricultural safety and health work.
- Other appropriate documentation such as public statements of accomplishments including articles in newspapers, newsletters, or other printed media, and other evidence of public recognition of the nominee’s accomplishments.
Letter of nomination and supporting materials may be submitted to Brandi Janssen at brandi-janssen@uiowa.edu. The judging panel will include a past Hall of Fame award recipient and 2-3 others knowledgeable in the area of agricultural safety and health issues in the state of Iowa. Nominations received by September 15 in any year will be considered for that year’s award, which is presented at the annual Midwest Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health conference in November.
Hall of Fame History
I-CASH created the Hall of Fame Award in 2002 to recognize individuals or organizations in the public or private sector that have made significant contributions to agricultural safety and health in Iowa. All Iowans are eligible for the award. Nominees should have contributed in a leadership role to agricultural safety and health issues through promotion and awareness in his / her area of expertise over a considerable length of time. Prevention, education, program evaluation, policy education, policy development, and organizational infrastructure are potential areas for outstanding merit.
The vision of I-CASH is to make Iowa the world’s healthiest and safest agricultural environment in which to live and work. More than one, or no award, may be made depending on qualifications of nominees in a particular year.