Tennessee
Jason Barber, a TN AgrAbility farmer with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), created his own YouTube channel to demonstrate how a legally blind person can operate a 100+ acre farm, with 35 head of cattle. Jason plans to demonstrate a multitude of assistive technologies that are used on the farm at the 2024 National AgrAbility Training Workshop in March. This information will be useful and can be shared with others who are visually impaired.
https://www.youtube.com/@jasonbarber5643
TN AgrAbility partnered with Farmer Veteran Coalition at the Pick TN Conference to host 14 sessions with over 800 total attendees of wonderful networking and learning opportunities from 9 TN ag associations. Sessions included: chapter update meetings; meet/greet meetings; "Women in Ag"; "Pathways to Farming; Farm, Family Safety, Health and Wellness," and a USDA/university panel with AgrAbility. This conference has special meaning since it is where TN hosted its first veteran meeting in 2018. TN also hosted the official stakeholders meeting for FVC-TN in 2020 that Michael O'Gorman attended to set TN up as an official chapter later that year.
UT Gardens continued its partnership with Tennessee AgrAbility and Frontline Gardens by offering free monthly lunch & learn sessions for veterans, active duty military, and first responders. The spring session began the third Thursday in February and will continue through May; sessions begin at noon Eastern Time. Registration continues and sessions are recorded and available to program registrants. Registration link: https://utgardens.wildapricot.org/event-5590618
TN AgrAbility, TN Association of Rescue Squads (TARS), and UT Extension agents from Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison and McNairy counties organized the first TN Grain Bin Safety/Rescue Awareness Training for 2024. The 59 participants included rescue personnel, ag producers and Extension agents. Ten Turtle Tube rescue tubes were distributed throughout Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties. Sponsors for training, meals, and tubes included Farm Credit Mid-America, TN Farm Bureau, Cargill, Consolidated Grain & Barge, and Goddard Family Endowment.
TN AgrAbility exhibited at
- West TN Grain and Soybean Conference. Five hundred grain producers and ag business people attended. Sessions with speakers from UT Extension and UT AgResearch included "Grain Marketing & Risk Management"; "Sustainability, Regenerative Ag & Trends"; "Farmers for Soil Health"; "Understanding Hybrid Characteristics and Agronomics in TN Soybean Production."
- TN-KY Tobacco Expo. Two hundred tobacco growers were in attendance to receive their GAP certification and production updates from UT & KY Extension tobacco specialists.
- TEAM (Teaming to Educate for Agricultural Mastery) Conference provided opportunities and choices for agricultural success with over 200 farmers.
Submitted by TN AgrAbility