Tennessee

TN Association of Rescue Squads received the 1st annual Friend of TN AgrAbility award at the 2023 TARS Convention for their hard work and dedication to the TN Grain Bin Safety/Rescue Awareness trainings for ag producers and rescue personnel throughout Tennessee. The partnership and trainings began in 2020 and have totaled: 60 counties/500+ participants/$130,000+ in local sponsorships/130 Turtle Rescue Tubes/21 Great Wall rescue tubes in Tennessee.

TN AgrAbility partnered with Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, UT TSU Extension, and UT MANAGE to host the 2nd annual Cultivate Women in Ag conference. There were 42 women producers in attendance and topics included: "Then, Now & When: Women's Leadership in Agriculture" (Keynote speaker Rhedona Rose, TN Farm Bureau); "Managing Stress on the Farm"; "Connecting with Customers"; "Cultivating Flavorful Landscapes"; "Don't go Bacon My Heart" (Pork Production); "Fall/Winter Cut Flower Tasks"; and "Deadstock Disposal and Sprayer Calibration". More can be read about the conference by clicking here.

Tennessee AgrAbility in collaboration with Tennessee Department of Human Services (TN DHS) celebrated National Disability Employment Month by hosting the Resource Ability Assistive Technology Access Fair in Lebanon, TN. The annual event showcased the importance of assistive technology in the lives of people with different abilities. The Fair helps promote partnerships between TN AgrAbility, TN Technology Access Program, Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Farmer Veteran Coalition of TN, who partner to assist farmers to continue to make a living doing what they love. Thank you, TN DHS, for another educational 2023 Resource Ability AT Access Fair and the best networking with VR counselors! Also, thanks to the informative guest speaker Sam Seavey, AT expert. See his "The Blind Life" videos here.

On October 10th, TNAP promoted World Mental Health Day. A great local reminder was written on round cotton modules on Hwy 22 North in Huntingdon, TN. Thank you to Renfroe Farms! 988 is a number anyone can call if they need to talk to someone. Everyone has days when they need to hear these reminders. It could be the very thing that makes a positive impact in someone's life.

Submitted by Tennessee AgrAbility Project