Practical methods for preventing accidents and health problems in agriculture -- one of the nation's most hazardous occupations -- will be the focus of a regional conference to be held Nov. 5-7 in Sacramento. The Western Regional Conference on Agricultural Health and Safety will be held at the Capitol Plaza Holiday Inn, sponsored by the UC Davis-based University of California Agricultural Health and Safety Center. Participants will include representatives from regulatory agencies, health care providers, colleges and universities, community organizations and agricultural industries. They will discuss field studies, safety evaluations, methods of intervention, intercultural communications and outreach as they apply to the different crops, workers, geography and cultures of California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. "We hope to heighten community and industry awareness of the health and safety issues unique to Western farmers, farm workers and their families," said Marc Schenker, director of the agricultural health and safety center. "Conference attendees will be encouraged to share their experiences about the skills and processes they've found successful in enhancing agricultural health and safety." The conference is sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, UC Davis School of Medicine, UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project, Uniroyal Chemical Company and the California Farm Bureau Federation.