Safety

harvest. Mother Nature will need to continue to supply us with some timely moisture over the next several weeks to have a chance of a good wheat crop and favorable conditions for planting fall crops.

I hope you have a great summer and thank you for your business. It is always appreciated! Look for the annual meeting notice and we will see you at the 105 th Annual Meeting to share the numbers with you!

Jerald Kemmerer-CEO/GM Pride Ag Resources

Safety Division

Roger Maple Safety Director Stress

As Covid 19 continues to sweep across our country, we are finding it necessary to adjust our normal daily living practices, and also, pay closer attention to how we are taking care of ourselves and how we conduct our daily business. We’ve heard just about all the news and information we want, need, or care to hear concerning the subject of Covid 19. However, as far as safety is concerned, one of the most important factors not being discussed is the stress many of us may be experiencing throughout the process of dealing with this worldwide pandemic. Many of us are facing stresses that are perhaps stresses we’ve never faced before in our lifetime. We may be facing issues such as lack of finances, lay-offs, shortages of food and essential household goods due to hoarding, childcare issues, businesss lowdowns, relationships, and even the stress of just how to remain healthy. I’d like to share a couple facts about stress that can possibly help us all as we move forward for the next few months. One fact concerning stress is that our social, economic, & environmental circumstances, along with our genetic makeup all contribute to how we react to stressful situations. However, one of the most interesting facts we need to understand about stress is that stress is manufactured in our minds. Believe it or not, it isn’t about what happens to us as people, it’s about how we react to the impetuses we experience. Stress is mind and our body’s response to pressures from life situations or life events. Stress is how the brain and body respond to the demands we face. Everyone experiences stress from time to time, but what we fail to remember is stress will take a toll on our body’s mental and physical health over a period of time. Stress is divided into 2 groups, acute stress (occasional and natural moments of stress) and chronic stress (constantly reoccurring stress). The source of chronic stress is more constant than acute stress. With chronic stress, our body never receives a clear signal from our brain signaling it to return to normal function following a stressful episode. With chronic stress, those normal functions may include prolonged disturbances in our immune, digestive, cardiovascular, sleep, and reproductive systems. If we continue to live under the umbrella of stress as a normal part of our lives, we can look to expect things like digestive issues, headaches, sleeplessness, sadness, anger, or irritability. Or even more critical conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and anxiety may be looming in our future if we don’t learn to effectively deal with our stress. Stress and work safety go hand in hand because anytime we share our focus on the stresses of life with our focus on the things we need to accomplish in the workplace, sooner or later, our minds drift more towards the life issues rather than the work at hand. When I think about the large machinery, augers, bin work, chemicals, cattle etc. you may be working with, I'm forced to also think of the prevention of many negative possible experiences if you were able to disperse or displace the stress you were feeling beforehand. There are several ways to combat stress that I would like to share with you.

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2. The first way could be to get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can help boost your mood and improve your health. Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular