Georgia

Georgia AgrAbility exhibited at the 2022 Sunbelt Agricultural Expo. Staff were very excited to have the University of Florida join them this year! The exhibit included companies that produce or sell assistive technology used by farmers with disabilities, resources for farmers and ranchers experiencing stress, and a tractor PTO safety and tractor rollover simulator shown by Dr. Serap Gorucu of the University of Florida. The Sunbelt Ag Expo consists of over1,200 exhibitors who showcase the latest in farming technology over a 100-acre exhibitor area along with a 600-acreworking research farm. Additionally, over 300 seminars and demonstrations are offered over the course of the three-day event. Georgia AgrAbility staff spoke with many members of the farming community - not just from Georgia, but from many of the states in the Southeast.

Georgia AgrAbility is thankful to P.H.A.R.M. DOG USA for providing a dog to one of its clients. P.H.A.R.M. DOG USA brought the dog and trained the farmer on October 25-27. The farmer instantly bonded with the dog named Skippy. Skippy has already improved how easily the farmer can work his cattle herd. The Georgia staff cannot thank Jackie Allenbrand and the team with P.H.A.R.M. DOG USA enough!

The Shepherd Center Hospital is GA AgrAbility's non-profit partner. The hospital has started a tool checkoff program that evaluates a patient's tool use after a brain injury. AgrAbility staff helped to train therapists at the Shepherd Center on how to use power tools safely. AgrAbility also showed the therapists different adaptations that can be made to tools for the patients to continue to use them. The training was a week-long program from October 24th-28th.

Georgia AgrAbility will be hosting a tractor safety and driving workshop in Blairsville, Georgia, November 4th. The workshop will be for both new and experienced tractor operators to learn and practice safe tractor operating procedures. The workshop will include morning classroom type instruction followed by an afternoon of attaching implements, going over basic tractor maintenance and operating a tractor through a course designed to allow operators to complete various driving scenarios on a closed course with an instructor.

Submitted by AgrAbility in Georgia