Pennsylvania

Dairy farmer and AgrAbility PA customer Chelsi Shultz shared her story with Farm and Dairy. Shultz was diagnosed with shoulder impingement in both shoulders. "It was all of that range of motion using your shoulder, and you use your shoulders in most things," she said. "It was a lot of pain." Shultz heard about the AgrAbility program and reached out for help. The program worked with her to find a solution - a carrier system - and find funding for it so she could milk without pain. It helped her avoid surgery and get back to work, and it's helped other people working on the farm avoid the health issues she's had. Read more here.

AgrAbility PA's staff held a team retreat to discuss opportunities and initiatives related to increasing customer capacity, setting benchmarks for service, and achieving new goals associated with supporting farmers and ag workers with a disability or long-term health condition. It coincided with the announcement from Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State Extension that the USDA-NIFA has awarded funds to Penn State to continue assisting farmers with disabilities. The announcement appeared in dozens of media outlets including agriculture-specific publications, newsletters, and social media. Read more here.

Submitted by Kendra Martin