Missouri

Missouri AgrAbility partnered with Show-Me Farm Safety committee to showcase health, safety, and well-being interactive hands-on props at the annual State Fair in Sedalia. 345,643 visitors attended the State Fair, which was held August 8-18, 2024. The Missouri State Fair is the state's largest agriculture showcase, bringing people together each summer from across the state. In a survey of State Fair attendees, the family-friendly agriculture exhibits and shows, fair food, and the tradition of the Missouri State Fair ranked high on the list of why fairgoers came to the Fair in 2024. The mild temperatures experienced during the early days of the Fair were a bonus, with more than 50,000 individuals in attendance on the first Saturday. The 2025 Missouri State Fair will be held August 7-17 in Sedalia. To learn more, visit mostatefair.com.

Emily Doosing with 4-H hosted a mock show in collaboration with TJ Swift's Honest Imagination Day Habilitation Center in Alton, MO, and Stock Show Stars out of Arkansas. This mock show provided 4-H members an opportunity to practice safe showmanship while sharing their knowledge with individuals with disabilities. Each 4-H member was partnered with a consumer from TJ Swift's Day Habilitation Center and was tasked with teaching their partner about animals and how to be safe around them. The 4-H members were critiqued by individuals from Stock Show Stars, a group that provides inclusive livestock day camps. The mock show had 13 4-H members partnering with 17 individuals from the Day Habilitation Center. Ania Bradley, pictured in mock show, is a member of Oregon County 4-H and was the announcer for the day and distributed awards to each participant.

Mackenzie Bevins with the University of Missouri Occupational Therapy Program completed her doctoral capstone project with MO AgrAbility in August of 2024. Her time as an occupational therapy student has helped her recognize the importance of client-centered, evidence-based practice. Her passion for supporting underserved populations has driven her to focus on bridging the gap between healthcare professionals and the agricultural sector. To better address the perceived need for more comprehensive resources about agriculture for healthcare practitioners, she partnered with Missouri AgrAbility at the University of Missouri Extension. She is the creator of the Leaders in the Field Podcast, a podcast that aims to educate healthcare practitioners on the unique needs and challenges faced by the agricultural community to increase quality of care and practitioner competency when serving the agricultural population. Hosted by Mackenzie Bevins, each episode delves into various aspects of healthcare and agriculture, featuring discussions with agricultural workers and their families, rural health experts, healthcare practitioners, and other leaders in their field. Her doctoral capstone podcast can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Submitted by Emily Doosing, Linda Geist, and Karen Funkenbusch