Indiana

The Purdue University Extension Professional Development Conference (PDC) was held December 4th and 5th at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds Event Center in Lafayette, Indiana. This annual gathering brings together nearly 400 Extension professionals, including county Extension educators and campus-based specialists, to network and share experiences, programs, and ideas.

Several Indiana AgrAbility staff members participated in the event and presented breakout sessions to educate fellow Extension professionals about both state and national efforts to assist farm families impacted by disability. Latino Outreach Coordinator Kimber Nicoletti-Martinez highlighted challenges to meeting mental health needs of farmworker communities. Joe Ricker, veteran outreach coordinator, led a roundtable discussion with Extension educators and campus specialists about Extension outreach to veterans. Ed Sheldon and a team of county educators from throughout Indiana introduced a newly developed teaching module titled "Inclusive Emergency Preparedness:Ensuring Safety for Individuals with Disabilities" that will be available to Extension and AgrAbility staff. Indiana and National AgrAbility Project Director Bill Field led a presentation about grain handling and storage safety and how to better educate Indiana farmers about safe work practices. In addition to the formal presentations, team members were able to visit personally with many Extension colleagues and distribute AgrAbility resources at an exhibit in the Department/Program Showcase.

The conference provided a great chance for the Indiana team to introduce AgrAbility to newer Extension professionals, while also allowing them to re-connect with "veteran" Extension partners from throughout Indiana and other Purdue departments.

Submitted by Ed Sheldon

Twenty-four members of the Indiana AgrAbility advisory team, along with Dr. Randy Hubach and Dr. Cody Mullen, who were speakers from Purdue University's Center for Rural and Migrant Health, met December 18 in Indianapolis in the beautiful building of the Indiana Farm Bureau. Following introductions, Drs. Hubach and Mullen shared the work of the Center, and a discussion ensued concerning ways that IN AgrAbility and the Center might collaborate together.

IN AgrAbility staff reports were shared prior to open discussions on Vocational Rehabilitation trainings, the Bridging Horizons Contest, and an upcoming AT expo. Following lunch, the group discussed ways in which IN AgrAbility could improve client services, how the advisory team might support staff efforts to contact all clients annually, and any new ideas that might improve the next project proposal from Indiana once the next AgrAbility RFA is received from USDA/NIFA.

The meeting closed with a report on NAP activities in which many of the IN AgrAbility staff participate plus a challenge to the group to participate personally and through giving to the 2025 NTW.

Submitted by Chuck Baldwin