National AgrAbility Project News
AgrAbility All-Staff Call/Web Meeting on Monday, March 17 at 3:00 p.m. EDT via 866-803-2444 and gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/all-staff-call. In addition to other business, Jeffrey Macloud from Farmer Veteran Coalition is scheduled to update us on new veterans initiatives.
AgrAbility has been included in President Obama's federal budget for 2015. more
You must be registered for the AgrAbility National Training Workshop by March 28. There will be no onsite registration. Click here for the registration website. If you have any trouble registering, call Kylie Hendress at 765-494-6679 or Kathy Walters at 765-494-2758.
For NTW updates on tours, travel information, and breakout sessions, visit the 2014 AgrAbility National Training Workshop website.
Amber Wolfe served as the facilities chair for the planning committee of the Midwest Women in Agriculture conference, held in Jeffersonville, IN February 19-20. more
Amber is the chair of the National Arthritis Conference committee that held their first planning call in late February. more
The NAP website now lists recent additions to the Toolbox.
State and Regional AgrAbility Project News
California
CalAg garnered a new collaborator and attended the opening of the Center for Families in Davis, one of four in Yolo County, assisting low-income, agricultural families gain access to health and rehab services.
Staff is also collaborating with the California Farm Bureau Federation on responding to farmers' stress and mental health issues surrounding the extreme drought conditions in the state. more
The Arthritis Foundation Pacific Regional Directors met with CalAg at UC Davis to discuss on-going work. more
Staff also attended the International Ag Expo in Tulare where tens of thousands of farmers gather each year.
Staff attended AgriSafe's Prevention & Management of Arthritis Among Older Farmers webinar.
Staff attended a Western Ag Center seminar on "Inorganic Dust Exposure in California Agriculture, A Health Hazard?" more
CalAg also attended the AT Networks seminar on reusing specialized medical equipment.
Since the program gets a large number of farmer requests for assistance with low-vision, CalAg participated in the Farmer's Guide to Eye Health workshop.
CalAgrAbility continues to use twitter. Follow at twitter.com/calagrability.
Colorado
Colorado AgrAbility leader Dr. Norman Dalsted inducted into the Colorado Agricultural Hall of Fame. more
Indiana
Indiana AgrAbility/Breaking New Ground staffed a display at the second Indiana Small Farms Conference in Danville, Indiana. more
Linda Tarr has been attending Soil and Water Conservation District annual meetings in Orange, Greene, and Lawrence Counties. She also helped the Kentucky AgrAbility team at the National Farm Machinery show in Louisville and had a booth at the Southern Indiana Grazing Conference in Salem.
Kentucky
Kentucky is getting ready for the National Training Workshop. more
Here in KY, staff members are fighting a losing battle with Mother Nature to keep up with the work of visiting clients and attending workshops and conferences. more
Things are gearing up for the KY Summer Assistive Technology Workshop. more
Third Thursday Event at the KY State University Demonstration Farm had an increase in attendance over the last year. more
Maine
Maine AgrAbility is looking forward to the NTW in KY next month, preparing to give three presentations and two unconferencing sessions.
This month staff have started scheduling and giving arthritis and agriculture talks to master gardeners, garden clubs, and garden angel groups.
Staff participated in a webinar on Grant Funding for Farmers, and Working with Farmer Veterans. Maine staff continue to work on the Steering committee of the Maine chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition to get the program up and running.
Maine AgrAbility published 250 copies of blood pressure wallet cards printed in Creole as part of the program's partnership with the Maine Migrant Health Program.
Minnesota
The Minnesota AgrAbility Project will be holding its 21st Annual Fenceline Conference at the Holiday Inn & Suites in St. Cloud, Minnesota, March 16-17 2014. more
Minnesota AgrAbility staff hosted a booth at the Central Minnesota Farm Show at the St. Cloud Rivers Edge Convention Center, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. more
Missouri
Missouri AgrAbility Extension staff members participated in the "Prevention and Management of Arthritis Among Older Farms" webinar sponsored by AgriSafe Network.
AgrAbility staff members participated on national committees: arthritis and agriculture conference planning committee and back resource working group.
Fifteen AgrAbility clients participated in the free seminar sponsored by the Missouri Orthopedic Institute about osteoporosis. more
The MU Extension Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) worked with Missouri AgrAbility staff members (Extension and Non-profit) to fine-tune the statewide programmatic Client Demographic Data collection system. more
Pharmacy students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Pharmacy at Columbia participated in the Health and Safety Area at the 53rd Annual Western Farm Show. more
MU Extension AgrAbility staff members and administrators from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy at MU met to map out this summers' Rural Pharmacy Practice Elective APPE that will be offered throughout Mid-Missouri. more
Nebraska
Nebraska AgrAbility and Nebraska Department of Agriculture shared a booth at Buffalo Bill Farm and Ranch Expo in North Platte, NE. more
About a third of the Nebraska AgrAbility Peers were able to gather for a Peer Update in Kearney. more
Madonna Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln has been a referring source for Nebraska AgrAbility for many years. more
Eight members of the Nebraska AgrAbility Advisory Committee met in Kearney to share ideas, resources, and information to support the state project. more
Nebraska Women in Ag Conference drew over 350 participants to Kearney, NE, where Nebraska AgrAbility staffed a booth displaying the priority issues for AgrAbility and Nebraska activities. more
North Carolina
NC AgrAbility once again had an interactive booth at the 2014 Southern Farm Show in Raleigh NC. more
NC AgrAbility was on RFD-TV in early January, according to visitors at the Southern Farm Show. more
February 13-16, 2014: Despite a historic snowfall and aftermath that made national news, Project Coordinator Michele Proctor once again attended the NC Cattlemen's Annual Conference in Hickory, NC.
February 18, 2014: The NC AgrAbility Advisory Board met in Clayton, NC. Revisions to advisory board documents, project updates, and current year deliverable numbers were presented. more
March 14, 2014 Dr. Mary Hildebrand with East Carolina University Occupational Therapy will be conducting training titled "Cultivating Accessible Agriculture with NC AgrAbility" in Kannapolis, NC. more
Ohio
Ohio AgrAbility staff along with Amber Wolfe from National AgrAbility Project conducted an Arthritis presentation for Northeast Ohio Arthritis Foundation on "Grow your Knowledge of Arthritis, Cultivating a Healthy Ohio."
Ohio AgrAbility Program added a young couple as clients who are dealing with the partial loss of a limb in a farming accident recently. OAP staff want to thank the National AgrAbility team for their helpful response in providing resources to support this young couple.
Ohio AgrAbility Staff are presenting their "I am not as Young as I use to be" program at the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation 2014 Safety Congress.
Ohio AgrAbility Program is looking forward to connecting with other states at the upcoming National AgrAbility Workshop. OAP will introduce Andy Bauer, OAP's new educational program coordinator, and also have presentations by Dr. Crosson, a faculty partner at the University of Dayton, and Brittney Cowgill, an O.T. PhD student.
Utah
Darlene Carlisle represented AgrAbility of Utah at the 2014 Utah Beef Cattle Field Day on February 11 at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah. More than 150 beef producers from throughout Utah were in attendance. The exhibit included an AgrAbility tabletop display and outreach materials.
West Virginia
West Virginia AgrAbility staff will be visiting several farms this month to help farmers with disabilities. more
February 18, 2014 was the Disability Day at the Legislature in Charleston, West Virginia. more
The 2014 Small Farm Conference was February 27-March 1 at the Waterfront Place Hotel and Conference Center in Morgantown, WV. more
WVU and WVU Extension Service Day at the Legislature took place on Tuesday, March 4, at the State Capitol in Charleston. more
Staff Changes
Nebraska
Kelly Gewecke, Easter Seals Nebraska work incentive specialist and program manager for AgrAbility, has accepted a position with the Department of Economic Development. Her last day with the project was February 14th, but we were able to use her talents until the last day as she helped facilitate the Peer Update and finished final reports. Best wishes to Kelly in her new position.
AgrAbility in the News
Click here for news stories featuring AgrAbility projects.
- National AgrAbility Workshop Set in Lexington
- Nebraska AgrAbility Giving Support to Farmers/Ranchers Facing Disabilities
- Texas AgrAbility Helping Military Veterans, Agricultural Producers With Disabilities
- Speaker Shares Tips for Farming, Gardening When Facing Physical Limitations
- Home News Business Ag Business Planning Workshop Slated for March 15 in Dallas
- CACE Artist, Jacque Hart, to Represent Colorado
Other News
Click here for other news of interest to AgrAbility staff members.
- Inspirational Photos From the 2014 Paralympics
- U.S. Cancels Paralympics Delegation, but Athletes Will Compete
- Why Micro-Gardening Could Go Big
- Out in the Open: This Farmbot Makes Growing Food as Easy as Playing Farmville
- Indoor Ag Conference Slated for May 14-15
Upcoming Events
Click here for professional development events related to AgrAbility.Problems? Contact Clifford Racz, National AgrAbility Project, racz@purdue.edu