Tennessee AgrAbility Project (TNAP) hosted a "Stress on the Farm: Contagious and Deadly" webinar with Dr. Deborah Reed. Dr. Reed introduced very relevant resources for farm stress. It was similar to the session she presented at the NTW. Dr. Reed is the AgNURSE /farm family health and safety intervention consultant with TN AgrAbility and works with the University of KY College of Nursing.
Another resource in Tennessee that TNAP refers farmers to for making a business plan is UT MANAGE. Through the MANAGE program, area specialists in farm management are well-trained and experienced in working with farm families to help them make better-informed decisions as they work through financial scenarios. MANAGE area specialists and TNAP are often the first contacts to facilitate conversations with farmers and their families in these stressful times and to identify resources that are available. For more on The Manage Program, click here.
TN has three TN New Farmer Academies that meet monthly across the state in Wartburg, Nashville, and Memphis, and has reached an audience of almost 100 beginning farmers. Within the audience there are farmers with disabilities and veterans represented. Featured topics include selection of equipment and tractors, and forestry and timber management, something that affects almost every farmer in East Tennessee.
The "Slow Your Roll - Plan Before You Plant" workshop series featured Farm Credit Services loan information for producers and developing a farm business plan with AgPlan. Several TNAP clients who are veterans with disabilities and beginning farmers attended.
Some of TNAP clients are farmer veterans with disabilities and one family has three members with disabilities. Each has attended the East Tennessee New Farmer Academy. They have been inviting farmers to their farm to help with the big projects, have hands on experiences, and this month hosted a Pastured Poultry 101 class on their farm.
TNAP spoke to 27 OT students on the campus of Tennessee State University. They were very inquisitive and very interested in the AgrAbility project and would like to go out on farm visits. They have at least two students interested in attending the 2019 NTW.
Submitted by Tennessee AgrAbility Project