National AgrAbility Project News
AgrAbility All-Staff Call, Thursday, July 26 at 3:00 EDT, 2:00 CDT, 1:00 MDT, 12:00 PDT. Invited guest speaker is Jawana Latimer from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Call 866-803-2444 with no access code needed.
AgrAbility Webinar Series - Veterans in Agriculture: Military 101. August 30, 2012, 3:00 p.m. EST; 2:00 p.m. CST; 1:00 p.m. MST; 12:00 p.m. PST. more
Special thanks to all the AgrAbility staff members that helped to make the ISASH Conference a success, particularly George Cook and his team in Vermont.
Amber Wolfe participated on a panel of speakers discussing ergonomics and disabilities in agriculture at the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health annual conference in Burlington, Vermont, June 24-28. more
Amber Wolfe gave a 15-minute radio interview for May/June to RFD Today, courtesy of the Illinois Farm Bureau group.
Goodwill Industries International and Goodwill Industries of the Finger Lakes in Rochester, New York, are hosting an AgrAbility informational booth at the New York Empire Days Farm Show and Exhibition in Seneca Falls, New York on August 8-10. more
AgrAbility was recently featured on the main USDA blog. more
The Mental/Behavioral Health COI will be hosting a call on traumatic brain injury on July 31 at 2:00 p.m. EDT via 866-803-2444. Dr. Joel Solomon, neuropsychologist, and Lynda Eaton, PT, both of Mercy General Hospital in Citrus Heights, CA, will present.
Toolbox Spotlight
See what's new in the Toolbox online this month. Solutions include a wheeled snow shovel (get ready for winter early) and an adaptive fishing rod holder (enjoy summer while it's here).
State and Regional AgrAbility Project News
California
CalAgrAbility's work with the Hearing Loss Association of America Yolo Chapter has yielded a collaborative publication to prevent hearing loss among farmers and workers. more
CalAgrAbility has been working diligently with the Arthritis Foundation (AF) in extending rural exercise/arthritis classes to various communities throughout the state. more
Health and safety fairs provide successful means of reaching farmers and employers. more
Colorado
On June 5 and 6, Jill Sump, project manager, and Katheryn Ernst, intern, attended the Colorado State FFA Convention in Pueblo. more
The AgrAbility team remained busy by making presentations to Goodwill branches across the state to help remind employees about the Goodwill mission and how their work supports these programs. more
The AgrAbility team hosted its annual Professionals' Workshop on June 22 at the Agricultural Research, Development, and Education Center, an extension of Colorado State University. more
CAP is in the process of trying new ways to reach rural communities. The program has worked with county extension agents as well as with 4-H and FFA Chapters all across the state. more
Indiana
The Breaking New Ground Outreach Program/Indiana AgrAbility Project exhibited at the 2012 Home and Family Conference on the Purdue University campus. more
Breaking New Ground recently completed another Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest. more
Amber Wolfe exhibited an education booth for the Indiana AgrAbility/Breaking New Ground Resource Center at the Indiana Rural Health Association's annual conference. more
Amber Wolfe served as a judge at the Indiana FFA State Convention at Purdue University, June 18-19. more
The Arthritis Foundation, Indiana hosted a booth on "Arthritis and Agriculture" at the Decatur County Memorial Hospital's Healthy Fair in Greensburg, Indiana on June 21.
During the month of June, Carl Jenkins attended a meeting at Rockport Engagement Center for mental Health, which is a center for "empowering individuals out of isolation and into wellness" at Rockport, Indiana.
Carl Jenkins has also attended and set up the booth for Indiana AgrAbility/Breaking New Ground at the Spencer County and Jennings County Fairs. more
Linda Tarr from Hoosier Uplands hosted the Indiana AgrAbility Advisory Team at Spring Mill on June 6, where the work plan was updated in preparation for the new project year and the new arthritis education curriculum was reviewed.
Minnesota
Inventors from across the Midwest, and as faraway as Hawaii, traveled to Redwood Falls, Minnesota to attend the 55th Annual Minnesota Inventors' Congress held June 8-9, 2012. more
Missouri
Using Adobe Connect web conferencing, Willard Downs and Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Extension, continue to provide the month's AgrAbility updates to CAFNR agricultural systems management and MU regional extension faculty members.
University of Missouri Extension AgrAbility staff members continue to meet bimonthly with the MO Department of Agriculture, MO Department of Labor, Cooperative Electric to discuss AgrAbility initiatives to collaboratively help to ImProve Health Amongst Rural Missourians (I PHARM). more
As one of Missouri's non-funded collaborating partners, the Northeast Independent Living Services (NEIL), a non-profit disability organization located in northeast Missouri, continues to provide assistance and direct support to Missouri farmers and ranchers with disabilities. more
Pat Bissell coordinates the monthly low vision support group that meets at the Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center and also coordinates a monthly support that meets in Hannibal, Missouri. more
On June 14, Jackie Allenbrand, MERIL AgrAbility outreach specialist, presented to the Optimist Club in Maryville, Missouri. more
Chris Davis, AgrAbility assistive technology technician with University of Missouri Extension, showed the AgrAbility, Ergonomic, and Agriculture tools display and handed out AgrAbility resources at the Historic Booneville Heritage Days Festival, June 20–23. more
MU Extension AgrAbility staff members helped two small farm operators with disabilities receive USDA funds to build high tunnels on their small acre farms. more
Two educational posters for the Missouri AgrAbility Project were accepted and approved for the 2012 conference of the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH), June 24-28, in Burlington, Vermont. more
North Carolina
NC AgrAbility was represented in three publications, three conferences or group events, and one presentation during the month of June.
The NC AgrAbility website broke ground at the end of the month and is projected to be live by the end of July. In accordance with this, the primary contact email address for North Carolina AgrAbility has been changed to coordinator@ncagrability.com.
Robin Tutor-Marcom of the NC Agromedicine Institute and Michele Proctor with North Carolina AgrAbility attended ISASH in Burlington, Vermont. more
Nebraska
Sharry Nielsen attended the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) June 24-28 in Burlington, Vermont. more
Ohio
Ohio AgrAbility was pleased to partner with Southeastern Ohio Center for Independent Living (SOCIL) at three events this spring. more
In April, Ohio AgrAbility presented the program "Raised Garden Beds and other Alternatives to Planting Flower and Vegetable Gardens." more
In May, Kent McGuire was a panel speaker in Logan, Ohio, at the Independence by Design Conference. more
Oklahoma
Oklahoma AgrAbility staff presented a workshop on Gerontechnology and staffed a booth at the Oklahoma Geriatric Education Center Conference, "Addressing Ethics, Disasters, and Well-Being in Rural Communities."
Oklahoma AgrAbility also had a presence at the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Conference.
Arthritis Foundation Exercise classes were held by OK Cooperative Extension Educators (OCES) and AgrAbility staff in Atoka, Dewey, Payne, Jefferson, and Seminole Counties, reaching over 100 participants.
Oklahoma AgrAbility provided training to an OCES Extension educator who represented the project while presenting a Disability Awareness session at the Payne County Farm Safety Day.
Texas
Texas AgrAbility recently hosted the first of a series of agriculture workshops for military veterans with and without disabilities titled "From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey." more
Vermont
In June UVM Extension held its annual Professional Improvement Conference, where Rural and Ag Vocational Rehabilitation (RAVR) received a Diversity award for its 44 years of service to people with disabilities living and working on Vermont Farms and in the most rural areas. more
Unfortunately, this is RAVR's final year; due to loss of funding the program is being eliminated. more
The Vermont AgrAbility staff members participated in the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) conference in Burlington, Vermont meeting people from around the world. more
Wyoming
AgrAbility of Wyoming is now on Twitter: blog posts and other information can now be found at www.twitter.com/WYAgrAbility.
Wyoming Independent Living Rehabilitation (WILR), non-profit partner with Wyoming AgrAbility, is conducting the Living Well with a Disability workshop which spans 10 weeks. The workshops are currently taking place in Casper and Laramie.
Staff Changes
California
CalAgrAbility's AF partner agency has new program staff. Roberta Campbell is the program director for the Greater Sacramento Valley office of the Arthritis Foundation. Roberta has worked at the California Department of Public Health in the arthritis, heart disease, and oral health programs. She has experience in development and implementation of federal, state, and local programs designed to improve the health of all Californians. Roberta has a B.S. in Gerontology.
Utah
AgrAbility of Utah is proud to introduce a new staff member: Darlene Carlisle is our new resource facilitator in the Central Utah area. She lives in the Genola area and will be covering that area for us.
Wyoming
Wendy Alameda, BA, has joined Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources (WATR) and Wyoming AgrAbility staff as the WATR project coordinator/AgrAbility assistive technology specialist. Welcome Wendy!
AgrAbility in the News
Click here for news stories featuring AgrAbility projects.
- AgrAbility Helps Farmers Continue Working (USDA)
- AgrAbility Helps Farmers Continue Working (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- AgrAbility Opens New Doors for Chilton Dairyman
- Pieces of a Guitar
- Nebraska AgrAbility Helps Farmers and Ranchers with Disabilities
- East Texas Farmer Trades Wheelchair for Tractor
- Farm Tour Offered to Veterans, Active Military
Other News
Click here for other news of interest to AgrAbility staff members.
- eXtension Website Keeps Farmers And Ranchers Apprised Of Safety, Health Concerns
- FacingDisability.com Website Gives Disabled and Caregivers Needed Info
- Paralyzed Woman Finishes London Marathon
- "Push Girls," a New Show on the Sundance Channel
- Walmart Pilots ScripTalk Talking Prescription Program through Walmart Mail Order and in Three Select Stores
- DOL App Contest to Improve Employment for People with Disabilities
- Product Design Class Innovates Sports Gear for Disabled Athletes
Upcoming Events
Click here for professional development events related to AgrAbility.Problems? Contact Clifford Racz, National AgrAbility Project, racz@purdue.edu