Raul R. Cuadrado, MPH, DrPH, PhD¹, Pepi Granat, MD², Chris Worden, MS, PhD³, and Eva C. Worden, MS, PhD³. (1) Master of Public Health Program, Health Professions Division Nova SE University, 3200 S. University Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33328, 954-262-1208, Cuadrado@nsu.nova.edu, (2) Private Practice, 7800 Red Road, Suite 202, So. Miami, FL 33141, (3) Worden Farms, 3250 Riviera Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33134

Opportunities exist for public health and medical professionals who believe in sustainable practices to achieve gains in environmental conditions leading to better health. Our family has had a farm in South Florida for the past twenty-eight years. We have grown avocados, limes and lychees, commercially. Many of the farm workers are Latinos. We believe in maintaining a sustainable agricultural environment, even though we (and others here) have had severe setbacks due to disasters such as Hurricane Andrew and citrus canker, as well as foreign imports. Nevertheless, we have confidence that food supplies, air and water, are worth our perseverance. We encouraged one of our daughters and her husband, both experts in horticulture, composting and organic farming, to forge ahead, and have helped them acquire a farm in southwestern Florida, where they are growing fruits and vegetables, organically, as well as naturally fed cattle. They will bring the concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to fruition, enabled by healthy farm workers, whom they will train, many of whom likely will be Latinos. Those public health and medical professionals who agree with these concepts can aid the cause of a sustainable environment by supporting institutions and establishments of education and commerce that adhere to promoting CSA in communities. The ideal of healthy nutrition in a thriving, valued environment leads to action promoting related behaviors toward reducing obesity and increasing physical activity. All these facets can come together with the goal of sustaining prosperous, healthy human beings in varied, multiethnic and multicultural communities.

Learning Objectives: Learning objectives

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• Describe the risks in farming to owners and to farm workers due to natural and man-made disasters, such as hurricanes, plant viruses, and foreign imports; (
• Discuss innovative ways to teach farm workers, their families and the public at large, about healthy foods and work practices, in order to improve their well-being; and (
• Develop and promote sustainable agricultural environments.

Keywords: Latino Health, Agricultural Work Safety

Related Web page: wordenfarms@aol.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: My family and I own two farms in Florida, and we derived income from both of them (no mortgages).