North Carolina

NC AgrAbility continues to expand its impact through strategic partnerships and dedicated outreach efforts. A new partnership with Ag Mediation NC & VA, a program of Western Carolina University, has provided valuable services, including business planning, credit review, heirs' property assistance, and farm planning, enhancing our support for clients. Recent events have further strengthened community engagement: Crystal Cook-Marshall's presentation on "Agricultural Safety" and "Stop the Bleed" at Forsyth Urban Growers School was well-received by 20 farmers, while the Frontline to Farm Dinner Presentation saw 55 farmer veterans in attendance. As the project continues in its no-cost extension year, NC AgrAbility has optimized service delivery, resulting in significant client growth-currently serving 41 farmers with plans to reach 60 by summer's end.

The NC A&T agromedicine team engaged with NC AgrAbility non-profit partner Easterseals UCP on a social care farming project as a means to better understand the impact of an accessible garden site on the well-being of residents and staff at a resident home. Partnerships have been developed with Home Depot and Scott's to provide additional volunteers, plants, and materials for an install. Nine home residents, six home staff, four Home Depot volunteers, three Scott's volunteers, four Easterseals staff, and two NC A&T Cooperative Extension staff participated in the installation of the accessible gardens on June 28.

Crystal Cook Marshall stocked a set of items to prevent or reduce injury to farmworkers for assessment and feedback with Vecinos, a farmworker-serving medical agency in western NC. Using a grasstops assessment approach, medical professionals advised on best interventions for farmworkers to reduce pain, risk of injury, and reduce incidence of repetitive stress. Efficacy will be assessed through a cohort model of farmworker feedback facilitated by the medical clinic. Results will be collated for this grant to SARE and incorporated as part of a research paper on interventions to reduce farmworker pain and ergonomic and/or repetitive stress injury.

Submitted by Crystal Cook Marshall