September is National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families and their communities safe. In this episode of Further Together: The ORAU Podcast, hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to two researchers about how small family farmers manage extreme weather events and how that, in turn, effects their health. Amanda McHale, Dr.PH, research associate on ORAU’s public health and healthcare team, and Jennifer Russomanno, Dr.PH, associate department head at the University of Tennessee Department of Public Health, discuss the research they conducted during their year-long pilot project. No research existed on the impact of extreme weather on this group of farmers, so McHale and Russomanno met with and interviewed farmers to see how they manage extreme weather events. Russomanno brings and interesting perspective to the conversation because she owns a small farm. Among their discoveries: the vast majority of small family farmers do not rely solely on farming for income. Their research was funded through the ORAU Directed Research and Development program, which supports collaborations between ORAU subject matter experts and faculty at consortium member universities. To learn more about ORAU-Directed Research and Development grants, visit https://orau.org/partnerships/grant-programs/odrd.html

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Michael Holtz Host, Further Together: The ORAU Podcast

Michael Holtz, APR, MPRCA, is a senior communications and marketing specialist for ORAU, a government contractor based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In his role he serves as the host of Further Together: The ORAU Podcast. He is also a content creator for orau.org and ORAU Story, the company's annual report. He also manages media relations activities for the organization. Outside of work, Michael is a cancer activist, leaning into his experience as a 12-year survivor of Stage 3B rectal cancer. Michael is a volunteer for Man Up to Cancer, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Fight Colorectal Cancer and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. Michael lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his lovely wife, Sarah, and their rescue dog, a golden bassett named Marley.