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January 2025
A monthly update for AgrAbility projects and friends of AgrAbility
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NTW updates
Happy New Year! If you have been putting it off, it is time to start thinking about the NTW. Here are some things for you to do:
- Register for the NTW. More
- Reserve your hotel room at the Hotel Encanto. More
- Do you know of someone that might like to be an exhibitor or a sponsor? More
- Put together a SRAP raffle basket and/or collect auctions items. More
For questions about the NTW, contact Tess at tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org.
NAP would love to host a regional workshop with another SRAP. If interested, please contact Tess tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org or JoBeth jbrath@goodwillfingerlakes.org, for more information.
AgrAbility Leadership & Management Training Survey. NAP requests that all SRAP staff members complete a brief web survey on training needs related to leadership and management. Click here to access the survey by Friday, January 24.
The AgrAbility/Extension conversation meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. Contact Samantha Wolfe at wolfesa4@msu.edu for details. More
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NAP Project Director Bill Field gave a presentation on AgrAbility for the January nTIDE (National Trends in Disability Employment) Lunch & Learn Series, a monthly, national series conducted by the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability and the Employment Policy and Measurement Rehabilitation and Research Training Center, funded by the Kessler Foundation.
As mentioned during the December all-staff meeting, the Extension Foundation is sponsoring a seven-part webinar series on fundraising and grant/partnership development, which are topics of interest mentioned by many SRAPs. Visit agrability.info/extension-fundraising for more information.
Newly archived virtual events:
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Getting on/off one's skid steer can be a daunting task for those with leg impairments and/or arm-strength limitations. One possible solution is a set of Skid Steer Folding Grab Bars, which consists of a pull-down bar with grab handle and a permanently-affixed bar mounted side by side to the machine's both left and right forward frame. Providing the leverage to climb aboard, one hand grasps the pulled-down grab bar, while the other hand grasps the stationary bar. Once seated, the left- and right-side pull-down bars are returned to upright position so they're out of the way when the loader bucket is raised.
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The Colorado AgrAbility team, including Julie Elliott (western region behavioral health specialist), Natalie Bachmeier (AgrAbility coordinator), and Janell Pisegna (professor, CSU Occupational Therapy Department, and AgrAbility faculty), has been awarded a mini-grant to develop and implement an "Agriculture Workforce Exploration and Training Program" tailored for young adults with disabilities. More
Colorado AgrAbility team members Chad Reznicek, Julie Elliott, and Clinton Wilson have been appointed as leaders of the Agricultural Behavioral Health Workgroup. Established by Senate Bill 55, which passed in 2024, this workgroup is tasked with shaping agricultural and rural behavioral health programs within Colorado's Behavioral Health Administration. More
The AgrAbility program staff has hosted three winter workshops throughout the 2024 year that aim to provide health-related educational opportunities as well as resources to individuals living in rural communities. Four more workshops are scheduled for early 2025.
New AgrAbility program staff members successfully opened and completed services for two new clients during the month of December and shared AgrAbility information with five interested parties throughout the months of November and December.
Additionally, seven Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) assessments were completed. In January 2025, one completed DVR Report highlighted an individual who is new to the agricultural field with aspirations to complete a hydroponic greenhouse operation. More
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Georgia AgrAbility had a booth at the 87th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Convention. Staff were able to interact with hundreds of farmers and farm families from across the state and let them know about AgrAbility services. More
The Georgia Farm Again veteran coordinator had the opportunity to highlight the impact veteran farmers in Georgia are making during the USDA's "Cultivating Care in the Agricultural Community: Celebrating Mental Health Outreach and Agricultural Wellness Capacity Building in Georgia" along with partners from various state organizations and programs. More
The Georgia AgrAbility team met with a Georgia-based non-profit called FODAC to discuss how they can collaborate to reach more rural Georgia. FODAC works to provide refurbished home medical equipment for adults and children with disabilities. More
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The Purdue University Extension Professional Development Conference (PDC) was held December 4th and 5th at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds Event Center in Lafayette, Indiana. This annual gathering brings together nearly 400 Extension professionals, including county Extension educators and campus-based specialists, to network and share experiences, programs, and ideas. More
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Twenty-four members of the Indiana AgrAbility advisory team, along with Dr. Randy Hubach and Dr. Cody Mullen, who were speakers from Purdue University's Center for Rural and Migrant Health, met December 18 in Indianapolis in the beautiful building of the Indiana Farm Bureau. More
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Maine AgrAbility contractors Toni Small and Brie Weisman, as well as program coordinator Bella Russo, will be presenting at the AgrAbility National Training Workshop 2025 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardener's Association hosted its annual Farmer to Farmer conference in Carabassett Valley, Maine. Program coordinator Bella Russo presented as a gold-level sponsor to 100 Maine farmers about Maine AgrAbility, as well as co-presented with Maine Agricultural Mediation and Maine Farm Coaching about on-farm conflict.
UMaine Cooperative Extension hosted the annual Maine Forage Conference in Waterville, ME. AgrAbility program coordinator Bella Russo had the opportunity to share resources at a table as well as speak to the room of about 40 farmer guests.
Maine Occupational Therapy Association hosted its annual conference. AgrAbility contractors Brie Weisman and Ketra Crosson networked at a table and presented the "Pain Tool Identifier."
The UMaine Cooperative Extension "Aggies" meeting for agricultural Extension staff was held in December. Maine's program coordinator was able to speak on behalf of Maine AgrAbility's projects and efforts in 2024.
Maine AgrAbility contractors Toni Small, Brie Weisman, and former OT student James Wall, presented virtually on "Let's MOOOve" via a AgrAbility NTW Encore Webinar
Contractor Brie Weisman and Program Coordinator Bella Russo appeared on the UMaine Cooperative Extension podcast, "Maine Farmcast" that features Maine agricultural-related resources. Episode link: https://extension.umaine.edu/agrability/.
The Certified Logging Professionals held their annual awards ceremony on December 6 in Brewer, ME. The event was held to raise awareness about logging-related news as well as give annual awards. Program Coordinator Bella Russo and contractor Brie Weisman were the keynote speakers and delivered a presentation about their logging work and how LogAbility supports Maine loggers and forest workers.
Bella Russo presented about AgrAbility's resources and farm injury at the annual crop planning meeting in Aroostook County Maine in early December. About 80 potato farmers attended the event, and staff were able to visit potato processing and storage facilities as well as the UMaine potato research station.
The soil health workshop hosted in York County, ME, for southern ME producers was attended by Maine's program coordinator where farmer contacts were established and staff tabled.
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The fall 2024 Michigan State University Mechanical Engineering Design Day took place at the beginning of December. The AgrAbility-sponsored project this term was a rolling kneeler cart designed to help a client with foot pain tend to her lavender plants. More
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Staff attended the Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Growers Expo in Grand Rapids, MI, engaging with potential and past clients and providing a brief demonstration of low- and high-tech assistive technologies during a worker protection standards session for farm workers. (images of Sam on rolling cart and of agrability tabling setup) | |
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Staff and partners gathered for a strategic planning session in mid-December. Gathering everyone in one place was rejuvenating and refreshed the networks and ideas between new and returning staff, improved morale, and provided important insights from clients and partners alike. More
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Missouri AgrAbility collaborated with two cohorts of certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) students from the University of Missouri Department of Occupational Therapy for their community practice projects. This partnership involved working alongside Missouri AgrAbility and MU Extension to research and revise the AgrAbility Client Intake Questionnaire, as well as to create an AgrAbility teaching module.
Leaders in the Field Podcast, hosted by Dr. Mackenzie Bevins, a 2024 grad in occupational therapy who did her capstone with the Missouri AgrAbility Program, is all about helping healthcare pros get a better grip on the agricultural community. It dives into the unique healthcare needs, challenges, and situations that agricultural workers face. More
Emily Doosing, a 4-H specialist with MU Extension, is actively refining the teaching module for Rodeo Clown College. This module covers important topics such as physical and mental health, farm safety, well-being, and AgrAbility. More
Karen Funkenbusch from MU Extension is still offering Missouri AgrAbility training to Dr. Mark Lucas, the new director for the Lincoln University Innovative Small Farmers' Outreach Program, along with its new farm outreach worker for the central region, Bryan de Valdivia.
Missouri AgrAbility was discussed as a resource at the Networking Coffees for Professionals hosted by the Brain Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) in December 2024. Networking coffees were held in St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City with participation of 50 vocational, rehabilitation, agriculture, health, and other professionals serving AgrAbility clients.
Susan Jaster, Lincoln University Small Farm Assistance Program field specialist, and Maureen Cunningham, BIA-MO executive director, presented a session of "Missouri AgrAbility: Helping Farmers with Disabilities Succeed" as part of the Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) Lunch and Learn series. More
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The Nebraska team took some time off during the holidays. They hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and they look forward to the new year and serving many more clients. | |
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Angie Howell, Jada Zimmer (Ruff), John Davis, and Emily Jacobson had a great time showcasing AgrAbility at the booth at the Nebraska Ag Expo in Lincoln, Nebraska. This event is considered to be the second largest indoor farm show in the United States. More
Soni Cochran, Aaron Yoder, Ashley Ahrens, and Emily Jacobson are working on a presentation for the upcoming National Training Workshop. They are excited to also be partnering with Ed Sheldon and his team for this presentation and look forward to sharing information about "Rural Preparedness: Strategies and resources to help strengthen the resilience of families and communities."
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The NMAP team is excited about the opening of the AgrAbility exhibit at the NM Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces, NM. The official opening will be on January 23, 2024.
Staff are also preparing their presentations for NTW in March, as well as working with the national planning committee to ensure that the NTW in beautiful Las Cruces is an enchanting event.
The farm apprentices who have been working with NMAP's nonprofit partner, Mandy's Farm, graduated from the program on December 19th. They worked hard and all participated in at least one full year's growth of seeds, crops, ducks, goats, and farm skills. Mandy's Farm will continue to support the apprentices for job placement.
University of New Mexico and NMAP team members are scheduled to give a presentation on AgrAbility and assistive technology for food growers at an Albuquerque Master Gardeners program in January.
NMAP's non-profit partner will promote NM AgrAbility at a table in Santa Fe during the NM legislative session in February.
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Ohio AgrAbility finished the year strong with a very productive advisory board meeting where the team reviewed OAP's 2024 accomplishments and discussed opportunities for outreach, conference presentations, collaborations, and outreach activities.
OAP staff met for their quarterly in-person staff meeting to review 2024 and review recruitment strategies for 2025.
OAP was featured in the Ohio State University Alumni Society magazine, as well as the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities newsletter. OAP staff appreciate the positive stories and expects to hear from new farmers across Ohio who would like to learn more about AgrAbility services.
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AgrAbility PA provided a presentation to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) board during its annual in-person meeting. Staff highlighted three farmer success stories, including one video story. More
Staff presented to a class of OTA students about AgrAbility PA. Conversations surrounded the resources available to farmers and considerations when in the clinic working with a farmer.
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2024 was TN AgrAbility's 30-year anniversary. Staff want to express their heartfelt gratitude for AgrAbility's support and dedication throughout the past 30 years. More
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TN AgrAbility staff exhibited at the TN Farm Bureau State Convention tradeshow in Franklin, TN. This is always a great opportunity to visit with TN AgrAbility farmers and their families, with UT TSU Extension staff, and with our ag partners and have a chance to have the TN AgrAbility Extension team together! More
The TN Farm Family Health and Wellness Program is an educational outreach program, which TN AgrAbility partners with, designed to help farm families cope and thrive with the unique challenges facing them. The course will utilize a hybrid method of live webinars and/or recordings that can be watched as one's schedule allows. More
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An advisory meeting was conducted with AgrAbility partners to discuss upcoming events and initiatives. | |
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AgrAbility of Utah staff was excited to set up a vendor table at the Utah Cattleman's Association Annual Convention in Salt Lake City on December 5. The staff was able to explain AgrAbility to many of the 90 attendees from around the state. Over 23% of Utah's agricultural cash receipts come from cattle and calf production.
AgrAbility staff set up a table and presented at two pesticide training workshops. On December 17, staff presented to 92 people at the Cache County Training in Logan, UT, and on December 19, staff presented to 53 people at the Box Elder Training in Tremonton, UT.
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AgrAbility Virginia is supporting 38 farmer clients, including a beef farmer collaborating on an accessible cattle facility design. | |
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In December, the team attended the 2024 Farm Bureau Convention and Virginia Farm-to-Table Conference, where Dr. Kim Niewolny presented on AgrAbility and the mission of VA Tech's Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation.
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AgrAbility of Wisconsin was the topic of discussion for the December 6th Common Ground Coffee Chat at the Food + Farm Exploration Center. AgrAbility Outreach Program Coordinator Michelle Bachand and Easterseals Rural Rehabilitation Specialist Lindsey Prahl were at the event to talk about AAW, describe their roles within the program, and answer questions. More
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Michelle Bachand exhibited at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation conference December 7th & 8th. The WFBF conference is an annual event that brings together over 1,000 Wisconsin farmers, agriculture business professionals, and supporters to discuss top issues impacting agriculture. More
Outreach Program Coordinator Michelle Bachand exhibited at the Wisconsin Farmers Union convention December 14th and 15th in collaboration with UW-Madison Division of Extension's farm succession specialist, Joy Kirkpatrick. The WFU convention is an annual event that brings together 250 WFU members to set policy that will improve life on their family farms and in their communities. More
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It has been a busy month for AgrAbility for Africa staff who have been analyzing the increasing cases of misdiagnosed hidden conditions, particularly among children of farmers in rural areas. For example, there was a case in 2024 where a child underwent five different examinations at various facilities, each yielding a different diagnosis and resulting in changes to the prescribed medications. More | |
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Please help us welcome Journey Polacek to Missouri AgrAbility for spring 2025. She is a second-year student in the occupational therapy assistant program at the University of Missouri - Columbia, set to graduate in fall 2025. She is a lifelong resident of Columbia with an interest in rural healthcare. More
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Texas AgrAbility bids farewell to Makenzie Thomas, Texas AgrAbility program manager. Makenzie worked for Texas AgriLife for 10 years, leaving a positive impact on Texas farmers. Makenzie will be missed, but we are so excited that she will have more time with her three children.
Texas AgrAbility welcomes Cindy Kovar, Texas AgrAbility program manager. Cindy has 14 years' experience in AgriLife Extension as the program manager of a statewide traffic safety grant. Cindy's lineage is in farming, as she was raised on a small farm in Milam County. She continues to have a small garden and helps her parents out on the family farm
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Click titles below for news stories featuring AgrAbility projects.
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Click titles below for other news of interest to AgrAbility staff members.
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