|
March 2025
A monthly update for AgrAbility projects and friends of AgrAbility
| | |
NTW Updates
- The 2025 NTW is just a few days away!! We are excited to see everyone! If you have not registered yet, don't miss out; registration closes Monday, March 17th. Click HERE to go to the NTW website.
- The room block has closed. If you still need a hotel room, contact Tess at 585-477-9015 or tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org
- Do you know of someone that might like to be an exhibitor or a sponsor? More
- Don't forget to register to have a SRAP display table. More
- Put together a SRAP raffle basket and/or collect auctions items. More
- Start thinking about a snack you would like to bring to share in the hospitality suite.
- The Marketing & Media Community of Interest is scheduled to meet at the NTW at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 in the Ventanas 1 room. Everyone is welcome to participate.
NAP is looking for a SRAP to host next year's NTW. If interested, let Tess know.
| | |
NAP is just starting to plan a regional workshop to take place in Shipshewana, IN. This event will focus on working with Old Order (e.g., Amish) cultures and will be sometime in late spring or early summer. To be on the planning committee, please let Tess know.
Thank you to everyone who completed the Annual Staff Needs Assessment. The following people won the random drawing: Michele Bachand (WI) - complimentary NTW registration; Randall Bagley (UT) - $250 NAP resource order; Julie Elliot (CO) - $100 NAP resource order.
| | |
NAP began the "Featured SRAP" social media initiative in February with AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians as the first SRAP. A total of 18 SRAPs and 1 affiliate signed up to be featured on NAP social media for a week each during 2025.
Save the date for the next AgrAbility/North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center webinar: "Ambiguous Loss." April 23 at 3:00 p.m. EDT.
| | |
The National AgrAbility Project, in collaboration with LifeLyfts and Ohio AgrAbility, once again exhibited at the 2025 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky. The show, held February 12-15, is the largest indoor farm trade show in the United States with over 300,000 attendees. More
Newly archived virtual events:
| | |
The PTO Sling is designed to relieve one of having to hold and support an implement's driveline (i.e., PTO shaft) during the connection process - a task that otherwise requires manually lifting the heavy driveline then stooping or crouching at potentially awkward angles while reaching for the PTO housing area. Instead, the apparatus uses leverage points of the tractor's three-point hitch and hydraulic system to achieve the lift/support needed.
| | |
AgrAbility in the Last Frontier staff presented to the following groups:
- The Southeast Alaska Independent Living Center's monthly Acquired or Traumatic Brain Injury Meeting on February 17th in Juneau. During this presentation, staff informed them about the AgrAbility program and the benefits of being involved if they are agricultural workers, and they reached eight individuals.
- The Southeast Farmers Summit in Juneau, AK, on February 20-22. Staff hosted a booth and shared information about AgrAbility with 150 attendees.
- Staff provided a presentation to 16 individuals at St. Patrick's Parish in Anchorage, AK.
Extension staff provided information booths during the following events:
- The Interior Farm Forum in Fairbanks on February 1st for approximately 100 farmers and farm business partners
- Alaska Forum on the Environment in Anchorage on February 3-7 reaching 45 individuals
- Energy Efficiency Now Conference in Anchorage on February 11-12 reaching 36 individuals.
- Delta Farm Forum in Delta Junction with approximately 100 individuals on February 22
| | |
It's been a great month for California AgrAbility. Program Manager Esmeralda Mandujano joined WRASAP partners at the World Ag Expo in Tulare in early February. More
| | |
The Colorado AgrAbility Project has been busy with presentations, workshops, training, and strategic planning over the past few months!
AgrAbility continues to host Legacy viewing parties across Colorado. In 2025, two have taken place so far with over 100 participants, and staff will be hosting a Western Slope tour in March with five showings. More
| |
Chad Reznicek, behavioral health state specialist with the Colorado AgrAbility Project, and Linda Emanuel, community health director with the AgriSafe Network , presented a keynote address for the Frontier Cooperative Ultimate Acre Event in La Vista, Nebraska, on January 24. More
Julie Elliot (behavioral health specialist), Janell Pisegna (CSU campus-based occupational therapy AgrAbility faculty), and Natalie Bachmeier (AgrAbility coordinator) have been planning the first pilot implementation of the "Agriculture Workforce Training," a career exploration program for young adults with disabilities, to take place during the summer. This project was funded by the Extension Foundation AgriProspects Initiative.
Jim Kuemmerlee (behavioral health specialist) received funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to implement the Colorado National Collaborative project. This project will support local coalition building and infrastructure development to implement the Colorado-National Collaborative (CNC) comprehensive suicide prevention initiative. More
Kirsten Wulfsberg (behavioral health specialist) has presented at several agriculture conferences and events across the state including the Gunnison Calving Clinic on how to "Manage Stress During Calving Season," the Southern Agriculture Conference in the San Luis Valley, and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Conference.
Ashley Buchannon and Hannah Cefalo (rural rehabilitation specialists) have been working to support their 38 current clients. They are working with two interns from the CSU Occupational Therapy Graduate Program this semester.
Finally, the team's first-ever Spanish workshop, focused on engaging and supporting the Spanish-speaking agriculture worker population, will take place on March 18 in partnership with the Northeastern Regional Engagement Center in Sterling. Staff look forward to sharing the outcomes of that event!
| | University of Florida AgrAbility team members Lindsey Head and Shelby Thomas along with guest speaker Ned Stoller, AgrAbility agricultural engineer, conducted a webinar on assistive technology. This was attended by 14 participants and is available for viewing on the UF website at https://abe.ufl.edu/agrability/resources/webinars/. | |
Brevard and Indian River counties have launched Roots to Work, a program that trains young adults with disabilities in plant agriculture. Nine participants learn from hands-on lessons and practical training in the greenhouse and nursery led by UF/IFAS Extension staff and volunteers. More
| | |
Florida AgrAbility staff member Danny Bost presented and demonstrated assistive technology for beekeeping for the USDA Level Up Beekeeping Program workshop on February 7-8. The workshop was for beekeepers who are interested in "leveling up" their beekeeping operations from a hobby to a business and was attended by 21 beekeepers.
The Florida AgrAbility staff exhibited at the North Florida Outdoor Expo on February 22. The event was attended by more than 300 people.
Florida AgrAbility exhibited at the Brevard County transition services event on February 1st. The event was attended by over 100 people.
| | |
Exciting news! Skippy, the 2024 American Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year, has written her very own children's book! This book is a fun read for children and even teaches them the basic commands to use with a farm dog. More
| | |
Georgia AgrAbility presented to the UGA southwest district agriculture and natural resource agents at the February ANR district update in Tifton, Georgia. The presentation included a demonstration of various types of assistive technology that may be used by farmers with disabilities.
| | |
Did you know that Georgia ranks as one of the highest states in the nation for farmland loss? Staff hosted a workshop in conjunction with the American Farmland Trust, Athens Land Trust, The Conservation Fund, and Two Rivers RC&D to help farmers learn how to preserve farmland for future generations. More
| | |
The University of Georgia AgrAbility Project hosted an "Introduction to Beef Cattle" course on February 28th in Thomaston, Georgia, at the Upson County Sale Barn as part of its Farm Bootcamp Program. The event included classroom presentations as well as hands-on demonstrations and experiences. More
| | |
Indiana AgrAbility and the Purdue Agricultural Safety and Health Program participated in the 2025 Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry Open House on February 1. The Fish Fry is an annual gathering of Purdue Agriculture alumni and friends. More
| | |
The Veterans IN Farming Winter Conference took place on January 25 at the Monroe Convention Center in Bloomington, Indiana, offering military veterans and their families a full day of hands-on farming and business education. The event was designed to connect veterans with agricultural resources, industry experts, and fellow farmers, fostering a strong network of support for those looking to enter or expand their role in agriculture. More
| | |
Staff tabled at the Ottawa County Conservation District's Cultivating Resilience Winter Conference, the MI Pork Symposium, and Michigan Cattleman's Beef Expo in February, with several hundred attendees at these events.
Ned Stoller presented an AgrAbility overview during Southwest Michigan Horticultural Days - a kick-off to the growing season that drew nearly 100 participants - where he connected with six potential clients.
Extension Educator Samantha Wolfe presented to 12 people during the MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual conference.
| |
The annual Michigan State University AGR Beef Preview show took place on the second weekend in February with more details to come.
Michigan staff continues working with Concordia University OTD candidate Sarah Matlock for her capstone project. Sarah has shadowed Ned at several farm visits and is learning to make AT recommendations. She also conducted a survey to inform and create an infographic to improve the visibility of AgrAbility in her community.
| | |
Journey Polacek, a student aiming to become an occupational therapy assistant through the University of Missouri Occupational Therapy Assistant Baccalaureate Program, is actively collaborating with MU Extension to create an intake assessment tool for Missouri AgrAbility and its partners and stakeholders across the state.
On Thursday, February 20, a total of 66 individuals took part in a discussion and Q&A session about AgrAbility exoskeletons in agriculture, demonstrating an interest in the subject. Karen Funkenbusch from Missouri AgrAbility and client farmer Doug Boswell provided insights into lower-body exoskeletons designed to assist with walking. More
Lincoln University's Innovative Small Farms Outreach Program staff members shared AgrAbility information with attendees of multiple events. More
The 4-H Save Your Brain program was delivered to 100 7th graders at Sperring Middle School. This educational initiative covered the causes, consequences, and ways to prevent brain injuries. More
Missouri AgrAbility was highlighted as a program partner during the Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) seminar titled "Concussions: Facts, Fallacies, and New Frontiers." This online event was attended by 122 individuals involved in school and youth sports who support AgrAbility clients.
A networking meeting for Missouri AgrAbility took place with a representative from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The focus was on integrating the "Get Schooled on Concussions" program into school protocols, particularly in rural areas, to assist students recovering from concussions as they transition back to school. More
| | |
Brady Harrison, an OT student working with CS-CASH, took Nebraska AgrAbility information to a workshop in Gothenburg, Nebraska, that was geared towards ag safety and health. Brady noted that over 175 people were at this conference. More
Emily Jacobson has been working with Senator Clements on a legislative bill to assist farmers and ranchers with purchasing assistive technology when no other funding resources are available. Staff would like to thank Nebraska Farm Bureau for always assisting with this and helping them to understand this process.
| | |
Jada Zimmer attended the two-day Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference where she was able to talk to several families that have been positively impacted by AgrAbility and its services. She was also able to share resources, handouts, and brochures with several women involved with farming, ranching, and agriculture.
Nebraska AgrAbility is in the process of hiring an additional full-time rural rehabilitation specialist to help with farm and ranch visits throughout the state.
| | |
NMAP team members are collaborating with national leadership to hold the 2025 AgrAbility National Training Workshop at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in sunny Las Cruces, NM. Among other tasks, team members are soliciting gifts and arranging excellent tours for training workshop attendees.
NMAP's team members with New Mexico State University (Go Aggies!) are working to market the conference to invite attendees from numerous NMSU departments and solicit gifts.
NMAP team members are putting the finishing touches on their posters and presentations so that NM AgrAbility represents itself well at the National Training Workshop. They can't wait to see you there.
Up to eight novice apprentices will start with non-profit partner Mandy's Farm to begin learning the occupations of farming in a spring-summer-fall cycle that will allow them to experience planting, cultivating and harvesting.
After the excellent opening of the AgrAbility exhibit at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, NMAP team members are continuing to brainstorm with museum leadership on how the exhibit can become even more interactive and useful to highlight the ways in which food production activities can be adapted and modified to continue after a person has experienced an injury or health condition.
| | |
Ohio AgrAbility was well-represented at the Ohio Farm Bureau Young Agriculture Professionals Annual Leadership Conference in Sandusky, Ohio. OAP staff presented "Fitness for Farm Life," and at the same conference OAP farmer and OSU Extension educator Kane Lewis presented his personal story and shared how he was assisted by OAP.
OAP staff also presented "Gardening as You Age" to the Groveport Garden Club and had an engaging question and answer session at the end of the presentation.
Disability Services Coordinator Laura Akgerman attended the Extension Leadership Conference in Savannah, Georgia, and networked with Extension colleagues from across the country.
Rura rehabilitation coordinators continue to assist farmers and build strong connections with state Vocational Rehabilitation counselors and AT vendors.
| | |
AgrAbility PA met with members of Heroic Gardens. Heroic Gardens supports veterans' mental health through garden, farm and workshop experiences in Philadelphia, PA. More
AgrAbility PA participated in an urban ag work group with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRSC) to learn more about the unique challenges urban farmers face and how AgrAbility can strengthen outreach and services to urban farmers.
AgrAbility PA's social media infographics were reshared to the NAP Facebook page as part of the new Featured SRAP Initiative.
| | TN AgrAbility Project (TNAP) staff met in Franklin, TN, to attend/present at the 2025 Pick TN Conference. This was a great opportunity for ag networking with nine TN associations at one conference. More | | |
The official launch of the new TN AgVets Program in TN - AgVols Opportunities on FarmLand (AgVOLs) - occurred at the conference. TNAP will continue their work with veterans with disabilities who face barriers to farming and educate about rural assistive technology. More
The Farmer Veteran Coalition TN annual meeting was held during the Pick TN Conference. TNAP visited with past ag and veteran friends and was introduced to new ones. More
TNAP staff moderated the February educational "Farm Family Health and Wellness" webinar that addressed Tennessee farmer health and well-being and focused on helping farm families and their communities make long-term health investments. The audience learned additional tools to help manage farm stress: More
| | |
The 1st Ladies Raising Livestock Conference was held in Greenville, TN, where attendees celebrated women in agriculture and learned how raising livestock is more than just a task-it's a lifestyle, something to do, something to love. TN AgrAbility presented the "Work Smarter, Not Harder with Assistive Technology" session. More
| |
2025 grain & soybean conferences are held throughout TN and have been tagged the first farmer/producer social event of the year. The conferences offer the most practical insight into emerging crop production issues, utilizing research and evidence-based data from University of Tennessee and other land grant colleges. More
TN AgrAbility staff had the pleasure of presenting to South Gibson County FFA classes about the TN AgrAbility program and farm safety practices for their spring classes related to large animal, ag mechanics, and ag science (general farm safety).
TN AgrAbility attended the Teaming to Educate for Agricultural Mastery Conference. TNAP met many keen beginning farmers and ag partners!
Check out the amazing use of ChatGPT and impressive new video from a TN AgrAbility farmer Jason Barber "Farming Blind with Duck": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y8lFho7GBw
| | |
Erin Kimbrough, program manager for Battleground to Breaking Ground with TX AgrAbility, was a featured speaker on the Farm Answers podcast, sharing information on Battleground to Breaking Ground.
| | |
In February, TX AgrAbility conducted disability awareness at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, TX. The goal was to raise awareness of the challenges of having a disability and how adaptive devices can help with barriers faced in farming and ranching.
| | |
The AgrAbility of Utah staff was excited to set up a vendor booth at the Utah Farm Bureau Hay and Forage Symposium in St. George, Utah, on February 6th. Over 100 producers from across the state attended.
AgrAbility staff attended and spoke at three different Utah State University Extension crop schools during the month of February. The schools occurred in Tremonton, Price, and Logan, Utah. Topics varied based on location but included virtual fencing, drone use in agriculture, and invasive weed control.
On February 13, staff set up a vendor table and presented at the Northern Utah Conservation Fair in Logan, Utah. Other presentations were given by the Natural Resources Conservation Services and Farm Service Agency.
Staff set up a vendor table at Beef Field Days on February 18 in Logan, Utah. Session topics included drones, virtual fencing, ranch market outlook, and ranch cost benchmarking. Beef Field Days is hosted by Utah State University.
On February 24, staff presented at week four of the six-week Beef Education Series. The series is sponsored by Utah State University Extension. The other presentation for the evening was "Farm Succession Planning."
Staff traveled to Brigham City, Utah, on February 25 and presented at the Northern Utah Fruit Growers meeting. Northern Utah is famous for its peaches, apricots, and cherries.
On February 28, staff presented at the annual Utah Pork Producers Membership Meeting in Lehi, Utah. Utah ranks 15th nationally in pork production.
| | AgrAbility Virginia continues its vital work, currently supporting 37 farmers with various needs across the state. | |
Recently the team, including Jeremy Daubert, Dr. Kim Niewolny, and Roberto Franco, alongside Laura Siegel from the AgriSafe Network, presented on farm stress, safety, and suicide prevention at the 2025 Virginia Cooperative Extension Winter Conference
Looking ahead, AgrAbility Virginia will showcase its "Farm Dinner Theaters" approach to farm safety and mental health conversation at the 2025 AgrAbility NTW in New Mexico, bringing two farmers along for the experience.
In other news, AgrAbility Virginia expresses deep gratitude to Beth O'Connor for her invaluable service on the Advisory Group and warmly welcomes Meghan Stump, executive assistant at the Virginia Rural Health Association, as the newest member. The team looks forward to collaborating with Meghan and strengthening connections with VRHA.
| | |
Outreach Program Coordinator Michelle Bachand exhibited at the Organic Vegetable Production Conference on January 31st and February 1st. The OVPC, a producer-initiated conference designed for advanced growers, reached full capacity this year with 220 attendees. More
Michelle Bachand exhibited at the Wisconsin Corn Soy Expo on February 6th and 7th. More than 1,200 corn and soybean growers and pork producers attended this annual event. More
| | |
AgrAbility of Wisconsin partnered with Wisconsin Farmers Veteran Coalition to exhibit at the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference from February 20th through 22nd. The Marbleseed conference supports the Midwest's regenerative and organic farmers and had 1,400 farmers in attendance. More
Michelle Bachand was a guest presenter during an online session of the hybrid course, "Navigating Your Ag Business: From Stress to Success." The session focused on resources available to farmers that can help them navigate through stressful situations.
| | |
On February 23rd in Nakawa, Kampala, Uganda, the AgrAbility for Africa staff participated in the "TUBAFEEKO ba Neighbor" initiative. Loosely translated from Luganda as "Let's Care About Our Neighbors," this partner-driven welfare support program was led by OneEarth-OneOcean and Uganda Junior Rangers. More
| | Lincoln University welcomes two new staff to the Small Farms Program. JJ Spurlin will serve as a small farms outreach worker in SW Missouri. Julia Thompson will serve as a small farms outreach worker in St. Louis. | | |
Click titles below for news stories featuring AgrAbility projects.
| | |
Click titles below for other news of interest to AgrAbility staff members.
| | | | |
