Missouri

For ten days, August 8 - August 18, Missouri AgrAbility had a booth at the Missouri State Fair promoting rural health, safety, wellness, and prevention of secondary injuries within the context of agriculture through interactive hands-on safety and health displays. Displays were staffed by staff members from MU Extension, MO Department of Labor, and MO Department of Conservation. Missouri AgrAbility awareness materials were also shared with fairgoers. Newly developed Missouri AgrAbility mental health awareness resources and stress management info packets that are co-branded with the MO Department of Agriculture, Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center, and Alabama Department of Mental Health, were also handed out. MO Department of Mental Health staff facilitated stress management questions or addressed mental health concerns.

Missouri AgrAbility staff were invited to present at the MO USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Office Annual Civil Rights Refresher on August 18 in Columbia at Parkade Plaza in the USDA Training Room. Mr. Brad McCord, USDA NRCS outreach coordinator, kicked the half-day workshop off with an overview of NRCS civil rights employee responsibilities followed by state employees learning about the American Indian Alaska Native Special Emphasis Program (SEPM), 2017 Ag Census update for historically underserved operators in Missouri, connecting with historically underserved agricultural producers through Missouri AgrAbility Program, and Disability Emphasis Program.

Missouri AgrAbility promoted rural health, safety, wellness, and prevention of secondary injuries within the context of agriculture through interactive hands-on safety and health displays at the Mizzou to You showcase's "University FOR Missouri" on August 24. Missouri AgrAbility awareness materials as well as mental health awareness resources and stress management info packets were handed out.

Missouri AgrAbility partially funded the Missouri Mennonite 20th Central Missouri Vegetable and Greenhouse Tour sponsored by the Missouri Growers Association on August 28 in Versailles, Missouri. Seventy-four participants were given Missouri AgrAbility materials and a pesticide safety resource co-branded with AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians Program.

Submitted by Karen Funkenbusch

University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy, a Missouri AgrAbility collaborator, provided rural wellness outreach and education at the Missouri State Fair on Aug 10th in the MO Ag Theater. Missourians from over 30 counties were reached through the effort. Thirty individuals were educated about farm safety and health and Pharm to Farm, and Missouri AgrAbility flyers were distributed. Wellness screenings, in collaboration with the MU Sinclair School of Nursing, including diabetes risk assessment, blood pressure,heart health education, and medication list wallet cards, were provided to 168 individuals at a value of over$10,000. Tobacco cessation/prevention education using a smoker's lung display was a hit with attendees, educating 350 individuals. One hundred individuals were educated about immunizations, and 275 families were educated about OTC Med Safety education.

Pharm to Farm, a collaborative partner of Missouri AgrAbility Project, presented to 50 student leaders from three locations at Columbia, Springfield, and Kansas City, from the largest student organization, American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists, about how they can incorporate Missouri AgrAbility Project brochures and materials into their statewide outreach efforts. Student leaders were educated about partnership opportunities for upcoming rural wellness screening events and health-screening supplies were used to demonstrate how to provide customized assessment and education.

Submitted by Kelly Cochran

The Missouri AgrAbility Project (MAP) was highlighted during the BIA-MO Networking Coffee for Professionals in Springfield on August 15. David Middleton, with Lincoln University, provided details of on-the-farm assessments as part of his AgrAbility role. Shon Bishop, co-PI with MAP, expanded the AgrAbility networking by highlighting additional roles of Lincoln University in partnership with AgrAbility. Maureen Cunningham added supporting information for the 12 professionals in attendance to refer their farmers with disabilities to AgrAbility.

Maureen Cunningham presented AgrAbility as a resource to 15 attendees of the Missouri Injury and Violence Prevention Advisory Council (MIVPAC) on August 19. The discussion featured services of the Brain Injury Association of Missouri, including partnering with the Missouri AgrAbility Project to help farmers with disabilities and future farmers who sustain an injury and their families remain or return to farming.

AgrAbility networking with Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) staff and board members was productive during dinners held in conjunction with the BIAA board meeting at which Maureen Cunningham serves as a member. These conversations, led by Ms. Cunningham on August 21 and 22, , included the benefits of partnering with AgrAbility to help survivors of brain injury be self-sustaining through production agriculture and strengthening the organization's mission to serve all regions of Missouri.

The Missouri AgrAbility Project was highlighted as a partnering resource of BIA-MO during the Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign (MSECC) Fair. Maureen Cunningham marketed AgrAbility to fair attendees as a resource for clients they serve within their Missouri state department as well as for their family members with disabilities who are farmers or are in other production agriculture jobs. Approximately 75 conversations with handouts featuring AgrAbility were held during the four-hour Fair on August 28.

Submitted by Maureen Cunningham