Mark H. Hanna, PhD, has been selected as the Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health’s (I-CASH) 2014  Hall of Fame award recipient. Hanna holds  BS, MS, and PhD degrees from Iowa State University and has been an Agricultural Engineer at ISU Extension for many years.

As a machinery expert, Hanna works to include safety messaging in all of his programming. As a researcher, he applies his engineering skills to improve both economic efficiencies for farmers and reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. His research topics include reducing off-target chemical drift and improving precision nutrient application to reduce input costs and negative environmental consequences associated with overuse. He has also examined ways to improve fuel efficiencies and alternative tilling strategies to increase producer profits while preserving non-renewable resources. He has served multiple terms on the I-CASH Advisory Board and has worked consistently to reduce injuries on Iowa’s farms.

He has won numerous awards during his long career, including the Outstanding Achievement in Extension from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Engineer of the Year Award, and the Mission Award for Extension from Gamma Sigma Delta.

Hanna received the award from I-CASH Director Brandi Janssen at the I-CASH Board Meeting held in conjunction with the Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety & Health / IRHA conference that took place in Ankeny, Iowa, on Nov. 18, 2014.

I-CASH created the Hall of Fame Award in 2002 to recognize individuals or organizations in the public or private sector that have made significant contributions to agricultural safety and health in Iowa. All Iowans are eligible for the award. Nominees should have contributed in a leadership role to agricultural safety and health issues over a considerable length of time. Prevention, education, program evaluation, policy education, policy development, and organizational infrastructure are potential areas for outstanding merit.

View past Hall of Fame recipients and their accomplishments on the I-CASH web site.