NCSU Hosts Agricultural Health Study Stakeholder Meeting

NC State University  and NC Cooperative Extension, in collaboration with the Agricultural Health Study Executive Committee, will host the 2012 North Carolina Agricultural Health Study (AHS) Stakeholder Meeting on Wednesday, August 15 at the NCSU Centennial Campus Toxicology Building in Raleigh. Dr. Wayne Buhler, Professor and Coordinator of Pesticide Safety Education in the Department of Horticultural Science and Ms. Julia Storm, Agromedicine Information Specialist in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology have organized this meeting of interested stakeholders in North Carolina to facilitate dialogue about the study and its findings. Storm also serves as Assistant Director for Partnership and Capacity Development of the NCSU Center for Human Health and the Environment’s (CHHE) Community Outreach and Education Core. Over 75 representatives of state agencies of agriculture, health, and labor,  Cooperative Extension administration and county centers, agricultural and rural organizations, rural communities, and NC State’s CHHE and the NC Agromedicine Institute are invited.

As the AHS approaches its 20th year, scientists from the Agricultural Health Study Executive Committee will provide an update on this long term health study of 90,000 pesticide applicators and spouses from Iowa and North Carolina; 31,000 participants are North Carolina farmers and spouses.  The AHS is directed by Dr. Michael Alavanja of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Dr. Dale Sandler and Dr. Jane Hoppin of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Mr. Kent Thomas of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Ms. Cynthia Hines of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The agenda features an overview of the AHS by Dr. Jane Hoppin of NIEHS, highlights of pesticide exposure study findings by Mr. Kent Thomas of EPA, and a discussion of major cancer findings and ongoing biomarker studies by Dr. Alavanja of NCI. Drs. Buhler, Ms. Storm and Dr. Catherine LePrevost, Assistant Director for Program Development and Engaged Scholarship of the CHHE COEC will provide an overview of strategies for communicating AHS results to lay audiences. Finally, Dr. Hoppin and Dr. Rob Smart, Director of the CHHE will discuss current and upcoming  AHS studies and integrated health science collaborations.  The stakeholder meeting is expected to be an annual event.