January 2020
A monthly update for AgrAbility projects and friends of AgrAbility
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AgrAbility funding for the current project year was confirmed at the end of 2019 by a Congressional appropriations agreement. Total program allotment was level at $4.6 million.
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Register soon for the 2020 AgrAbility VIRTUAL National Training Workshop. The six webinars on January 28-30 include several by AgrAbility staff members. Topics include low-tech AT, cultural humility, and programs for under-served audiences like veterans and minority farmers. Visit
www.agrability.org/online-training/virtualntw for details.
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Madison NTW Updates: Things "To Do" before the NTW
- Register! Registration is open through the NTW website HERE.
- While on the NTW website, don't forget to check out the great tours that are planned (additional fee).
- Make hotel reservations. Reservations may be made HERE.
- Register as an AgrAbility exhibitor. This is an option on the registration site. Please contact Tess McKeel if you have already registered online but would like to have an AgrAbility display.
- Suggest vendors or sponsors. Information for both may be found by clicking on either option- vendor or sponsor.
- Put together your State Raffle Basket. The State raffle baskets have been a hit the last two years. Put together a basket with items from your state or any theme that you would like and let's see whose basket gets the most tickets.
- Solicit auction items. Several auction items are needed to help support the cost of NTW farmer guests. Items may be mailed ahead of time, if need be, to Amanda Harguth / 460 Henry Mall, Room B20 / Madison, WI 53706. Please indicate that it is for the NTW and also include the item description form.
- Start thinking about the snacks you would like to share for the Hospitality Suite.
If you have any questions, contact anytime.
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Built to fit category 2 and 3 tractors from 80 to 160 hp, the
Rear-Mounted Tipping Transport Box
, with detachable tailgate, is designed to allow one to dig, scoop, scrape, level, spread, and/or haul all types of material weighing up to 600 pounds (depending on model).
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On December 3-5, Alaska AgrAbility staff attended the statewide 2019 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Provider's Conference in Anchorage.
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In December, a staff member from Assistive Technology of Alaska (ATLA) attended a Farm & Food Meeting in Kenai, Alaska.
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California AgrAbility hosted the AgrAbility Regional Workshop in Davis, CA. The conference had over 30 attendees from various states and agencies including the CA Department of Rehabilitation and Ability Tools.
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Clinica Tepati, a free student-run clinic in Sacramento, conducted a train-the-trainer for their exercise class.
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California AgrAbility staffed a booth at the Small Farm Tech Expo in Santa Rosa, CA. Hosted by Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and Farmers Guild, the Small Farm Tech Expo was the first exposition to introduce farm technology from around the state and private industry specifically for small farmers.
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December was the month for professional development. Colorado AgrAbility, in partnership with CSU Extension, hosted an agricultural suicide prevention one-day workshop featuring noted ag psychologist Mike Rosmann from Iowa. It was attended by 53 local professionals.
Later in the month, staff attended a local eastern plains workshop put on in Sterling, CO, by the Livestock Commission. In attendance were 27 ag professionals from the surrounding communities.
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December 8-9, Georgia AgrAbility staff attended the 82nd Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Annual Conference hosted in Jekyll Island, Georgia. The conference was a great way for farmers to come together to celebrate achievements and to discuss the state's largest economic sector:
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Georgia AgrAbility staff member and engineer Kyle Haney recently received training on using 3D printers at the University of Georgia's Makerspace so that staff can print assistive technology for their clients at no cost.
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Kelly Gagnon, AgrAbility of Illinois communications coordinator, recently attended the official launch of the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Illinois at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting on Saturday, December 7in Chicago.
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Dr. Josie Rudolphi, AgrAbility of IL co-director, spoke at the Illinois Specialty Crop Conference in Springfield, Illinois, on Friday, January 10.
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Indiana AgrAbility staff members Bill Field, Paul Jones, and Steve Swain attended the 2019 Purdue University Extension Professional Development Conference, which was held on the campus of Purdue University.
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Indiana AgrAbility closed out the calendar year as an exhibitor at the 2019 Indiana Farm Equipment and Technology Expo at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis...Indiana AgrAbility client and advisory team member Mark Carter represented Purdue Extension and its drone specialists...
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Kansas AgrAbility staff participated in a two-day training session with Assistive Technology for Kansans.
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KAP will be participating the Women Managing the Farm conference on February 13-14, which provides a supportive setting in which women can develop the skills, resources, and knowledge needed for success in a competitive agricultural environment.
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Using handheld clipping tools to trim the thousands of greens necessary to make the wreaths can take a toll on an individual's hands, and eventually making wreaths became a painful, unpleasant, task.
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Do you know Michigan ranks third in the nation for fresh Christmas tree production, producing over a dozen varieties of trees on more than 42,000 acres throughout the state?
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The Michigan AgrAbility Farmer Review Panel convened in December. MSU staff presented 2017 and 2018 annual survey results. Michigan AgrAbility was very much appreciated by their clients.
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December was a busy month for Michigan AgrAbility staff attending conferences: Michigan Farm Bureau Annual Meeting (Dec 3-5) and the Great Lakes Expo (Dec 10-12).
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Mark your calendars! The 2020 Alpha Gamma Rho Beef Preview is soon to be here! Join the fun Friday-Sunday, February 7-9, at the MSU Livestock Pavilion in East Lansing.
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The University of Missouri Extension Missouri AgrAbility staff completed the following networking and marketing activities:
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Maureen Cunningham with the Brain Injury Association of Missouri featured the Missouri AgrAbility Project with an exhibit at the Coordinated School Health Conference in Columbia, Missouri, December 5-6.
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Emily Freudenburg was asked by the NAP team to present on farm/ranch-based assistive technology at the Regional Workshop in Sacramento.
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Specialists have been busy completing client visits before the year-end. Word from NE Vocational Rehabilitation is that more clients will be coming off the waiting list in January, and staff look forward to serving these clients.
Staff promoted AgrAbility at two events in December: the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention in Kearney and the Cattle Confinement Symposium in Kearney.
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It is a sad time for Nebraska AgrAbility and the entire Nebraska agricultural community. Longtime client and advisory board member John Dvoracek passed away in December. John served on several community and state boards during his farming career.
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On December 3 in Greensboro, NC, NCA&T SU agribusiness and food industry management undergraduate students under the leadership of Dr. Kenrett Jefferson-Moore presented projects. The students worked during the semester on case studies for two NC AgrAbility farmers.
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On December 5-7 in Wilmington, NC, NC AgrAbility participated at The Ag Expo Conference facilitated by the NC Agribusiness Council.
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On December 6 in Raleigh, NC, Beatriz Rodriguez provided a lecture to NCSU bio engineering students for their ag safety class.
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Ohio AgrAbility staff members have been busy presenting, planning, promoting, and collaborating this winter. Staff presented "How accessible are your events and programs for people with disabilities?" at the 2019 Ohio State University Extension annual conference.
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OAP held an advisory committee meeting in December and welcomed several new committee members from the rural health community, Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Ohio Farm Bureau, the ADA coordinator for the city of Columbus, Ohio, and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (Vocational Rehabilitation).
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AgrAbility PA wishes everyone a Happy New Year! The staff spent time in December preparing and prepping for big events at the start of 2020: two statewide farm shows and other key events and happenings. Staff look forward to connecting with AgrAbility colleagues in the coming year.
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AgrAbility PA partnered with the PA Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) and Missouri AgrAbility to present an AgrAbility webinar, "Alternative Financing for Assistive Technology."
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AgrAbility PA has pulled together a one-page, front and back resource on cab cameras.
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Tatanka Ki Owetu AgrAbility Project on Pine Ridge has started to develop a wheelchair-accessible high-tunnel demonstration site at its Pine Ridge office headquarters.
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In addition, a second high-tunnel on site will be utilized by the program's first full-time AgrAbility incubator farmer client for in-ground production. The Tatanka Ki Owetu Project is exploring the use of incubators as a way to address land-access and equipment-access challenges that disabled tribal new farmers face in becoming involved in agriculture.
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Happy 2020 from Tennessee AgrAbility Project
There were leadership role changes for TNAP with the retirement of Tim Prather on December 31. TNAP welcomed Troy Dugger on January 1 as project director for UT Extension for Tennessee AgrAbility Project and Tennessee Beginning Farmer Outreach Program.
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Finis Stribling will continue to be the TN State University Extension project director for TN AgrAbility plus the director of TN New Farmer Academy. Joetta T. White and Eileen Legault will continue to be project coordinators with TN AgrAbility UT Extension area specialists.
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TN AgrAbility was seen at the Tennessee Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. One attention grabber from the booth was the distribution of silicone rings for men and women. They were a huge hit and staff were able to talk about the AgrAbility program to those visiting.
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AgrAbility of Utah attended the USU Extension Pesticide Training Workshop in Logan, UT, on December 3 and gave a presentation on AgrAbility. Ninety-five people were in attendance.
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On Dec. 5, Michael Porter and Randall Bagley attended the Utah Cattleman's Association Convention that was held in Salt Lake City. A display table with brochures and handouts was set up and more than 100 people attended the event.
AgrAbility of Utah presented at the Core Pesticide Applicator Workshop on Dec. 9 in Kaysville, UT. The event was attended by 55 agriculturists and pesticide applicators and was sponsored by USU Extension.
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The Wisconsin AgrAbility team had a great December. They attended the WI Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and YFA Conference held in the Wisconsin Dells.
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Tim Prather retired on 12/31/2019 after more than 36 1/2 years of service with University of Tennessee Extension. We appreciate all Tim did for TNAP!
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Patrick T. (Troy) Dugger, with Center for Profitable Agriculture/UT Extension (CPA) assumed the role of project director for UT Extension's Tennessee AgrAbility Project and Tennessee Beginning Farmer Outreach Program January 1, 2020. Contact information:
Troy Dugger
Program Coordinator, Center for Profitable Agriculture
850 Lion Parkway
Columbia, TN 38401
931-486-2777 Office Phone
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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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