Nebraska

Nebraska AgrAbility and Easter Seals Nebraska has learned that Sodexo Mini-Grants have been awarded to two AgrAbility clients.  The $1200  awards will be used for agricultural assistive technology.

Nebraska AgrAbility Rural Rehabilitation Specialist Del Ficke has been accepted into the Farm Bureau Leadership Academy.  Seminars forthe program are designed to develop and retain leaders for county and state Farm Bureau organizations and increase involvement in agricultural groups in Nebraska. The curriculum focuses on leadership roles and the opportunity to influence public policy.  Four sessions during the year will include:  entrepreneurial thinking, anticipating the future of ag, policy processes important to ag, issue management, relationship building, and media training.  The culmination of the program will be 4 days spent with legislators in Washington, D.C. in September.

Nebraska AgrAbility personnel shared the mission of AgrAbility and information about their program at the KNEB Farm and Ranch Expo in Scottsbluff and the Buffalo Farm and Ranch Expo in North Platte during the first week of February.  Rod Peterson, Rural Rehabilitation Specialist, teamed up with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in North Platte February 2-3, visiting with show attendees and marketing the program.  Bill Booker, UNL Extension Educator, joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exhibit in Scottsbluff to visit with farmers and ranchers in the Panhandle area of Nebraska on February 4-5.  Several hundred participants attended  the 2 shows.

Submitted by: Sharry Nielsen