Longtime advocate for improving health and safety on dairy farms FLY CREEK — Bassett Healthcare Network’s New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) announced Tonya Van Slyke of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) as the recipient of its annual Hero Award. Van Slyke, who worked as a safety trainer for NYCAMH in […]
Longtime advocate for improving health and safety on dairy farms
FLY CREEK — Bassett Healthcare Network’s New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) announced Tonya Van Slyke of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) as the recipient of its annual Hero Award.
Van Slyke, who worked as a safety trainer for NYCAMH in the past, is a longtime advocate for improving health and safety on dairy farms and was an important part in efforts to bring NYCAMH, Cornell University, and industry leaders together to reduce injuries and improve worker wellbeing in the dairy industry.
“I have worked with Tonya for many years and have been consistently impressed by her dedication to the dairy industry,” NYCAMH Director Dr. Julie Sorensen said in a press release. “Her tireless efforts to identify safety solutions for farm owners and provide 24-hour support to farms in the event of an emergency speaks to her dedication to the industry and dairy workers. It has certainly been my privilege to work with her over many years on our common mission to support New York dairy farms.”
After working at NYCAMH as a safety education, Van Slyke moved to the Cornell Agricultural Safety and Health Program, where she continued efforts to promote farm safety and health. Today she serves as executive VP of industry relations at the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, where she continues to promote farm safety and farm safety programs. Van Slyke also offers counseling and guidance to dairy farms when injuries and emergencies occur and has led efforts to develop safety training and supervisor management courses for dairy farms in partnership with Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development and NYCAMH.
A program of Bassett Healthcare Network, NYCAMH works to improve agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injuries.
