Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) named Eileen Fisher the 2012 recipient of its Agricultural Safety and Health Hall of Fame Award. She was recognized at the Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health conference awards luncheon session on November 14, 2012.
Fisher received her Master and PhD degrees from The University of Iowa in Preventative Medicine and Environmental Health, which led to numerous leadership roles that contribute to advancing agricultural safety and health issues on a state and national level.
In 2000, Fisher became the Associate Director of Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Health (I-CASH). One exceptional project transpiring from her I-CASH involvement resulted in a DVD entitled Rural Roadway Crashes – They’re Preventable. A rural roadway safety press conference and presentation was held outside Iowa City. The event featured the opportunity to ride along rural roads in a large tractor and combine to experience first-hand the dangers farmers face each day.
Fisher has been instrumental in successful completion of several farm safety and health projects. Motivating Farm Parents to Create Safe Play Areas on Farms: A Randomized Controlled Trial evaluated the effectiveness of specific interventions that encourage safe play area construction. She helped build a capacity program resulting in an agricultural medicine training program in seven U.S. states, Australia, and Turkey.
Fisher was also instrumental in founding two anti-smoking organizations and works tirelessly on this important policy. She retired from the I-CASH Associate director position on October 1, 2012.
I-CASH created the Hall of Fame Award in 2002 as a lifetime achievement award for individuals or organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to agricultural safety and health in Iowa.