The Journal of Agromedicine is pleased to announce Brian Kuhl, M.B.A., as its 2023 "Leader in the Field," for his contributions to agricultural safety and health practice, policy and research.
Kuhl provides strategic direction for the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America. As president and chief executive officer of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF) and its Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® (PAF Safety Day) program, Kuhl uses his position -- and life experiences -- to strengthen the culture of safety and health across communities, organizations and countries.
"Brian is a highly deserving 'Leader in the Field' for our journal," said Mathew Keifer, M.D., editor-in-chief. "Brian has ensured that the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program is the largest and longest-running educational initiative of its kind.
"Their safety and health programs stretch across the United States and its territories as well as Canada and several South American countries. Systematic evaluations have demonstrated their programs have a positive impact on the safety and well-being of children, including many who are not directly involved in agriculture."
Kuhl brought more than two decades of diverse business experience to the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, having worked with some of the nation's largest agriculture cooperatives and provided leadership for several strategic initiatives at CHS, Inc.
Informing Kuhl's leadership are his community-level and agricultural roots. Kuhl is owner-operator of Kuhl Family Farms, a fourth-generation corn and soybean farm in northwestern Wisconsin.
"Keeping rural America safe needs to start with educating children about the risks that they may face every day and how they can stay safe and healthy. If we can educate them in a way that is hands on and fun, then they will want to share the safety messages that they learn with others resulting in not just safety-minded children, but also in safety-minded communities," said Kuhl.
Kuhl holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture business and marketing communications from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, as well as an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. In addition to his position at Progressive Agriculture Foundation, Kuhl is president-elect of the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) and is an advisor to the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety.
Categories: Wisconsin, Business