Indiana

Indiana AgrAbility and Easterseals Crossroads held an Agricultural Assistive Technology Expo in mid-April. It was a beautiful day at Purdue's Beck Center where vocational rehabilitation professionals, occupational and physical therapists, extension educators, and college students majoring in occupational therapy, as well as representatives from AgrAbility projects from surrounding states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky) immersed themselves in learning about farming with disabilities. The goals for the day were to have individuals who work with a person with disabilities in agriculture 1) understand a little more about different kinds of farming and what is physically required by trying it for themselves and 2) learn about several kinds of assistive technology that are used to help someone on the farm.

• Attendees climbed into equipment for themselves, such as a tractor, skid steer, and a zero-turn mower, to identify difficulties that someone with a disability might encounter. Several individuals drove the zero-turn mower in the parking lot.
• Mark Carter demonstrated his drone technology and discussed how it was helping farmers in the fields. He invited anyone who was interested to fly a drone.
• A panel of Indiana farmers (Toby Days, Ron Frazier, and Donald Lawson) discussed their experiences of being diagnosed with a disability and working with AgrAbility to find solutions to continue their farming business. Those in attendance asked questions and the panel provided very detailed answers concerning how assistive technology was implemented and made each of them more independent.
• Everyone was invited to try equipment designed as solutions for farmers with disabilities. Whether navigating an obstacle course with a Trackchair (sitting or standing), transferring from a wheelchair to a pickup truck or tractor using LifeLyfts mobility lifts, or using a personal scooter, each attendee challenged themselves to use the technology. A Roll-a-ramp (available for loan through the new loan library) helped the scooters navigate over rough terrain and climb over a step easily.
• Many toured several Purdue farming operations close by. Two thirds of the attendees visited a dairy barn, walked through the calf huts, explored a sheep/lamb operation, stopped at a grain storage facility, and learned about aquaculture in Indiana. Understanding the tasks involved in each of these operations helps to understand the barriers that exist for someone with a disability.
• Breakout learning sessions covered many topics. Steve Swain discussed the process of assessing the needs of someone with a disability going through vocational rehabilitation. Home modifications, the new AT loan library at Purdue, the National AgrAbility Toolbox website database, underserved populations in farming (veterans and the Amish), and using AT in small scale or nontraditional farming were some of the topics discussed.

Everyone walked away with a better understanding of the need for assistive technology to ensure the success of farmers with disabilities.

Submitted by Lisa Becker

Indiana AgrAbility in partnership with the LIFE Project presented and exhibited at the Gary, IN, Black Loam Workshop April 15, 2023. Approximately 70 people, the vast majority being BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), attended the in-person event.

Led by John and Denise Jamerson, directors of the LIFE Project 2501 grant (in which the NAP is a partner) and founders of Legacy Taste of the Garden LLC, the Black Loam series of workshops are intended to build relationships, to help farmers gain access to information, and to train them in better agricultural practices. Attendees received introductions to multiple USDA programs and resources available to BIPOC and socially disadvantaged urban, rural, and community producers to encourage increased participation in USDA programs, loans, grants, scholarships, sustainable agriculture practices, business planning, and community development.

Chuck Baldwin represented AgrAbility with a display of AgrAbility printed materials and a talk on the importance of AgrAbility for anyone involved in agriculture who is impacted by disability.

Submitted by Chuck Baldwin