Episode 317 - Emily’s Back! Farm Emergency Planning You’ll Actually Use - The UMN Extension's Moos Room

The Moos Room

Hosted by members of the University of Minnesota Extension Beef and Dairy Teams, The Moos Room discusses relevant topics to help beef and dairy producers be more successful.

Emily is back from medical leave (hooray!) and she and Brad dig into an essential topic for every operation: emergency planning. You can’t predict every detail, but you can make the first decisions easier when seconds count. What we cover: What an emergency plan is (and isn’t): a concise, written set of steps and key info you can default to under pressure. Start with a farm map: access routes, gates/fences, livestock locations, hazardous/flammable materials, and utility shutoffs. Make the red sheet easy to find: an emergency contact list (911 first), then vet, sheriff/emergency management, insurance, milk hauler, feed/suppliers, and owner/manager. Stock the right supplies: standard first-aid kits, a trauma kit with a tourniquet, and consider an AED; plan to keep kits replenished. Three scenario buckets to plan for: Shelter in place (blizzards, extended outages): backup power/fuel, blocked access routes, pared-down chore list, role assignments, keeping people safe. Evacuation (fire, flood, tornado damage): best escape routes for people/animals, which gates to open and in what order, a designated meeting point (and Plan B), and who calls whom. Medical emergencies (injury or health event): known conditions (EpiPens, diabetes, heart issues), where supplies/AED live, basic first-aid/CPR training, clear directions for EMS, and—on larger sites—who meets the ambulance at the road and whether a safe helicopter landing area exists. Mind the paperwork: review insurance coverage before you need it. Keep it simple and living: a few clear steps beat a thick binder no one reads. Resources mentioned: University of Minnesota Extension: Operations contingency plan templates for livestock operations. Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN): disaster-specific farm resources. Cultivating Change Foundation (Emily & Joe Rand received the Cultivator of Change award). Save the date: Ag for All Conference for LGBTQ+ farmers, ag professionals, and allies — March 7, 2026, Waite Park/St. Cloud, MN. Have questions, comments, or scathing rebuttals? Email TheMoosRoom@umn.edu . Chapter markers (optional) 00:00 – Emily’s back! (and why breaks matter) 03:18 – Why farms need emergency plans 05:41 – What an emergency plan actually is 08:07 – How plans help when stress spikes 10:45 – Simple planning story (cats + hamper) 12:03 – What belongs in the plan (map, shutoffs, hazards) 15:11 – The red emergency contact list 19:06 – First-aid vs. trauma kits (tourniquets) 24:44 – Shelter-in-place: questions to answer 26:11 – Evacuation: routes, gates, meeting points 28:04 – Medical emergencies: AEDs, training, EMS access 32:35 – Keep it living, keep it simple 33:00 – Resources + wrap-up Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message! Linkedin -> The Moos Room Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety Facebook -> @UMNDairy YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy Extension Website AgriAmerica Podcast Directory