2015 AgrAbility
National Training
Workshop

New Staff Training

This session gives an overview of the AgrAbility Program for new staff members or those wanting a refresher. Some topics covered include a perspective from the USDA, the role of the National Project, resources available, evaluation procedures, and sources of help inside and outside AgrAbility. Participants will also have opportunities to network with one another, NAP staff members, and USDA contacts.

Assessing Assistive Technology for Safety and Usability

Farmers often fabricate devices and processes to help them overcome their limitations but end up making modifications that may be more hazardous. It is important for AgrAbility professionals to assess the possibility of secondary injury on assistive technology (AT) to prevent or minimize further injuries. This session will include a hands-on segment where all participants will be involved in evaluating the secondary injury potential of selected assistive technologies used in agricultural work-sites.

Off-Site Tour to Equicenter

Tour the New York EquiCenter to learn how both horses and horticulture can serve as therapy for many individuals. EquiCenter's purpose is to foster the personal growth and individual achievement of people with disabilities, at-risk youth, veterans, and their families using a wide range of therapeutic equestrian activities. Additionally, the Seeds for Success Program is a horticulture program benefiting participants physically, mentally and emotionally from gardening activities geared towards each individual's goals and interests.

Off-Site Tour to Allens Hill Farm

Explore Allens Hill Farm, home to rabbits raised as livestock and an aquaponics growing facility. Owners John and Carolyn Loveland are believers in natural goods that are sold in their retail store including many baking mixes, spice mixes, and syrups.

Opening Session

Welcome

Farmer Panel

Conference Instructions

Project Director (PI) Session

USDA program leaders will meet with SRAP principal investigators for questions, answers, and discussion.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Osteoarthritis and Rural Youth

The session will discuss osteoarthritis and its effects on rural farm youth. Participants will also view a new written curriculum lesson plan and an online learning program for working with rural youth.

Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest Panel Discussion

This panel discussion will focus on the Bridging Horizons Community Service Contest. Bridging Horizons is a community-oriented service experience that gives groups the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained through helping community members overcome physical barriers. Entrants complete a low cost project that helps enhance independence for a person with a disability. In this session, panelists will discuss how they got the contest started in each of their states, what groups participate in the contest, and how it is funded. They will also share the successes and failures of the contest and make recommendations of "do's and don'ts" for anyone wanting to start a Bridging Horizons contest in their state.

Steve Swain,
National AgrAbility

Ron Jester,
Mid-Atlantic AgrAbility

Inetta Fluharty,
West Virginia AgrAbility

Suicide Prevention

Every 15 minutes someone in the U.S. takes his or her own life. For every suicide, there are 25 attempts. These numbers are disproportionately larger in rural and veteran populations. This public health issue affects everyone: families, health care providers, school personnel, faith communities, friends, government, and others.

It is important that everyone knows suicide's warning signs and how to help a person contemplating suicide. Learn the signs, find the words, be able to reach out and connect individuals with the appropriate resources to keep them and their loved ones safe.

CTS: Overworking the #1 Tool in a Farmer's Toolbox - An Overview of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) of the Hand and Wrist

The session will consist of a brief PowerPoint presentation on CTS and will include several real-life 3-D models of hand joints for the participants to explore. Hands-on activities will be used to simulate the difficulties and pain associated with CTS, and helpful tools will be discussed.

Amber Wolfe,
Arthritis Foundation-Heartland Region

I Want to Grow Hops, Now What?

This session will provide the participants with enough background information on what is involved with the small scale production of hops. The presentation will include costs, machinery, labor, and processing so that the participants can make informed decisions on whether or not growing hops should be in their agricultural enterprise.

Permaculture for Passion and Profits

This session will provide attendees with an introduction to permaculture and how it may benefit farmers with disabilities. Topics will include principals, practices, basic techniques, and ethics. Participants will also have the opportunity to view pictures of “hugeculture” raised beds, sustainable greenhouses, and forest gardens and see how Gaia's Farm and Gardens uses animals to help the farm thrive and lessen the work load. Participants will also receive a brief introduction on how to set up a permaculture farm to work with nature, instead of against it, that helps farmers ease their work loads, minimize inputs and outputs, and create self-sufficient, sustainable farms.

Unconferencing* Session: Defining Areas of Need in Farm Tractor Assessments for AgrAbility Clients

What is needed in an assessment of a farmer's ability to return to using farm equipment? Disability affects a number of key areas of function that can impact on safe use of farm equipment. Participants in this session will discuss current areas of assessment among AgrAbility programs, consider components of a tractor safety curriculum, discuss assistive technology products, and look at visual/perceptual/cognitive assessments used in the field of adapted driver education.

Military 101 - Understanding Military Culture

Outreach to disabled military veterans may be made more difficult if you don't understand the basics of the US military and their history, customs and culture. Understanding may help to remove the barriers to developing and maintaining relationships and rapport with our veteran farmers. We will also discuss the most common disabilities of Post 9/11 combat veterans and ways in which we can best work with them.

AgrAbility Student Projects

AgrAbility of Wisconsin staff will present information on working with groups of students to create projects and technology that benefit AgrAbility farmers. Drawing on many past experiences of working with a variety of students from different courses and majors, the presentation will focus on client identification, courses used at UW-Madison, and effective utilization of other campus resources for the completion of the projects.

AgrAbility in the Classroom: Student Design Projects of the NC AgrAbility Partnership and NC State University Biological and Agricultural Engineering

A cornerstone of the NC AgrAbility Partnership has been educating students on the unique needs of people farming with disabilities in providing hands on opportunities to practice understanding and accommodating these needs. Agricultural engineering students are provided opportunities for internships and team projects through the senior design projects, a required component of the undergraduate curriculum. In addition to in class lectures, students are allowed to select from a pool of written project proposals, which may include design scenarios based on observations in real client scenarios or ongoing research of technology specific to farming with disabilities. NC AgrAbility projects have proven to be consistently popular student choices. This presentation will illustrate examples of some of these projects and a small student panel will be available to answer questions from the audience.

The Impact on Life and Farming with a Brain Injury

Brain injury effects people and their families in unique ways. Every brain injury is different. This presentation will help attendees understand brain injury better, adapt themselves to meet customer needs, and begin to understand strategies, adaptations, and available resources that can be used to assist the person being served. This knowledge may also help identify undiagnosed or untreated brain injuries. During this presentation, the group will participate in an awareness activity that will open their eyes to how many people with a brain injury translate information coming at them from the world. Resources will be provided to assist in reaching out for guidance. Real life situations will be used to open participants' minds to the ways one can adapt to living as independently as possible on the farm.

Sustainable Forestry

A forest is a garden composed of trees. Like any garden, some tending will benefit its welfare and productivity. Do you have objectives for your woodlands? Are the deer managing your woods? Healthy, vigorous forests are essential elements of our survival. What role are you playing in your woods?

Maple Sugaring: Through the Years

Could you be earning extra money by tapping into trees on your property? This session will help answer that question by teaching participants about maple sugaring. Learn where maple sugaring has come from and where it is today with a glance toward new horizons. Learn about the process and if it could be profitable for your farm.

Unconferencing* Session: Developing and Maintaining an Attitude of Safety on your Farm or Ranch

This session will present an overview of commonly held perspectives of safety on a farm or ranch by the farming population, in comparison to perspectives held by safety specialists. Participants will discuss barriers which might be identified by farmers and ranchers to implementing safer practices on their farm or ranch and look at how these influence educational opportunities and approaches in changing attitudes and practices on the farm. What are motivators for developing and maintaining a safe attitude and business plan for your farm? The session will also offer an interactive brainstorming session identifying and listing commonly accepted safe practices.

Mobile Ready Websites

As website presence has become necessary for a cohesive marketing strategy, there is need to keep up with changes in technology and standards. Mobile devices continue to increase as a primary platform for accessing website contents. This session will explore the requirements for creating usable, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing mobile website content. Focus will be on the main platforms and explaining terms that are now appearing with respect to mobile content: responsive design, fluid design, and content management systems.

Exploring Poultry as a Farm Enterprise

Poultry could be an appropriate enterprise for farmers or ranchers with disabilities. In this session, participants will learn about poultry production cycles for egg and meat production, typical chores related to poultry, and how to those chores.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) and What You Need to Know

FSA's farm loan programs are a valuable resource to establish, improve, expand, transition, and strengthen your farm or ranch. This session will include details on the mission of Farm Service Agency, the types of loans available, basics of eligibility, how the process works, and where to get started.

Niagara Falls Tour

Conference attendees who pre-registered (before March 13) to tour Niagara Falls and the Niagara Falls Culinary Center will meet in the hotel lobby at 4:20 to depart for the tour. Scheduled return time will be around 11:00 pm.

Vicarious Liability - Why You Might Be Sued for an Act Performed By Someone Else and How to Limit Your Exposure

This session will discuss the seven areas of vicarious liability under which you might be sued for the actions taken by others. This would include suppliers, contractors, engineers, volunteers, and other staff. The session will offer, in layman’s language, an understanding of the duty of Due Care to which one might be subject. In the final analysis we will present a thought process and suggestions for limiting liability for civil negligence actions.

James Craig,
Colorado AgrAbility

Unconferencing* Session: How to Build and Maintain an Effective Advisory Council

This discussion session is intended to allow participants to share information between State/Regional AgrAbility Project staff members on what their advisory council looks like and what the purpose of the advisory council is.

Maine will share the roles and responsibilities of their Advisory Council members. Maine staff members will discuss how they set up their meetings - share the scheduling, meeting format, and communication methods. How does this format build a better relationship with the members?

Participants will discuss how to find a “great” council member - what skills and connections should they bring to the project? We will also discuss how to use these skills and connections to advance the project goals - by inclusion in activities, volunteering their time, and other ideas.

H"app"y Farming

New technology can be frightening, especially if you are unsure how to use it. This session will provide a "hands on" approach to finding and using IOS and Android apps that can assist a farmer or rancher with a disability in their operation.

Bring your own Android or I-device to explore the world of H"app"y Farming.

Service Animals for Farmers and Ranchers

Service animals have been individually trained to assist people with many different types of disabilities. Some farmers and ranchers with disabilities might also benefit from using a service animal. In 2010, the Department of Justice revised its regulations on Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to define service animals as "dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities." DOJ also included a separate provision about miniature horses. Let’s discuss.

Unconferencing* Session: Creating Effective AgrAbility Program Displays

Session participants will interact with each other to discuss effective AgrAbility displays. They will identify the purposes and needs of successful displays and will collectively discuss issues such as branding, retention, staffing tips and measurement. If time permits, the group will create mock exhibits.

Richard Brzozowski,
Maine AgrAbility

Amber Wolfe,
Arthritis Foundation-Heartland Region

BattleGround to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey

Texas AgrAbility has developed educational agriculture training workshops for Veterans. Through these workshops, veterans learn about agriculture business opportunities, rural business opportunities, funding sources for agriculture business, and much more.

Erin Kimbrough,
Texas AgrAbility

Cheryl Grenwelge,
Texas AgrAbility

Rick Peterson,
Texas AgrAbility

Doug Kingman,
Texas AgrAbility

Miranda Ferguson,
Easter Seals East Texas

Unconferencing* Session: Veterans in Agriculture - What Have We Learned?

A table discussion regarding current Texas AgrAbility programs for veterans, current SRAP veterans programs, and ideas for moving forward.

Erin Kimbrough,
Texas AgrAbility

Cheryl Grenwelge,
Texas AgrAbility

Rick Peterson,
Texas AgrAbility

Doug Kingman,
Texas AgrAbility

Miranda Ferguson,
Easter Seals East Texas

16 Tips on How to Write a Fundable Request for Proposal (RFP) for NIFA AgrAbility

Bob Fetsch will present 16 tips and lessons learned from his failures and successes at writing AgrAbility RFP's over the past 17 years. Then he will elicit best "Do's and Don'ts" for writing successful RFP's from other experts present in this session.

Robert Fetsch,
Colorado AgrAbility

Green Thumbs - Healthy Joints

Learn the fundamentals behind the WV AgrAbility partnership and the WV Bureau for Public Health Osteoporosis & Arthritis Program's joint partnership. This partnership provides resources for organizations to make gardening accessible for West Virginians with arthritis and other disabilities. Through collaboratively administrating community mini-grants, funded recipients have brought accessible gardening, related assistive technology, and subsequent health benefits to numerous settings across the state.

This presentation will explore the project's partnership and funded projects. It will also cover how grants are administered, technical assistance provided by staff, and project reporting and evaluation. Past and current projects will be presented showing how implementation of accessible gardening has grown from simple raised flower beds to accessible outdoor classrooms.

Unconferencing* Session: Farming from a Wheelchair

Many farmers work from a wheelchair. The diagnoses and the challenges based on different diagnoses can vary significantly. It is the goal of this unconferencing session to develop ideas and share information that can assist SRAP staff members and individuals with multiple discussions.

John Zeller,
Ohio AgrAbility

Bill Wilkins,
Ohio AgrAbility Client

Andy Bauer,
Ohio AgrAbility

Dee Jepsen,
Ohio AgrAbility

A Shovel, Two Buckets, and a Broken Leg

Managing grain in tall storage bins is a work necessity for thousands of farmers, feed mill employees, and grain elevator workers. Augers are moved into place to fill the bins, nearly empty bins are shoveled and swept, ladders are climbed to check grain quality and to see how full the bins are. Not only are there health risks to these tasks, but they are very difficult for workers with any type of physical impairment. It is not possible to eliminate all risks when storing grain, but steps can be taken to increase worker safety, accessibility, and efficiency. In this session, we'll look at a few of the many possible accommodations for filling, managing, and emptying grain bins.

Ned Stoller,
Michigan AgrAbility

Social Media 101: Tips and Tricks for the Busy AgrAbility Professional

This session will give an overview of each of the major social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and blogs) and will discuss the relevance of each to the AgrAbility audience. Participants are encouraged to bring their smart phones, tablets, or laptops to this session so they can walk through each of the sites and then learn about the time-saving tips that are available to help manage their social media presence.

Kylie Hendress,
National AgrAbility

Unconferencing* Session: AgrAbility Gets Social: How Social Media Can Help AgrAbility Get Their Message Out to a Broader Audience

This session will discuss how AgrAbility Projects can use social media to reach a broader audience than can be reached by just attending the typical farm show, health fair, trade conference, etc. Through this discussion, the attendees will be able to point out new audiences they would like to reach and discuss how to reach these audiences and which social media venues would fit each group. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to discuss the successes they've had in their states with social media and how other AgrAbility Projects can share this success.

Kylie Hendress,
National AgrAbility

Swordshares to Plowshares: Agricultural Opportunities for Veterans in New York

Veterans are becoming increasingly interested in agriculture as a viable career option. A thriving support network already exists to help beginning farmers get started and organizations like the Cornell Small Farms Program are working to support veterans in particular in picking up the plow.

Institute for Veteran and Military Families (IVMF) Education Programs

The IVMF is the first interdisciplinary national institute in higher education focused on the social, economic, education, and policy issues impacting veterans and their families post-service. Through their focus on veteran-facing programming, research and policy, employment and employer support, and community engagement, the institute provides in-depth analysis of the challenges facing the veteran community, captures best practices, and serves as a forum to facilitate new partnerships and strong relationships between the individuals and organizations committed to making a difference for veterans and military families.

Cultural Competency: A Panel on Outreach to Underserved and Minority Populations

Cultural competence provides us the ability to interact effectively with individuals from different cultures, allowing us serve more individuals more effectively. This panel will represent Old Order Anabaptist cultures, migrant/seasonal farmworkers, Native Americans, and African Americans. Participating panelists have extensive experience with the populations they serve and will offer general information on the best outreach practices, important cultural norms, and best approach methods, as well as taking audience questions.

Assistive Technology (AT) Show-and-Tell

This session will be a show-and-tell with various suppliers of assistive technologies applicable to farmers and ranchers with disabilities. AT suppliers currently scheduled for this session include:

Moderated by
Steve Swain,
National AgrAbility

Unconferencing* Session: We Produced Some Videos, Now What?

At the 2014 AgrAbility NTW, Kansas AgrAbility presented on the production and use of videos in their program. Ohio AgrAbility staff took information from their session to produce Ohio-based video vignettes and it is possible that other state programs did the same. This unconferencing session will be a discussion of how videos can be used effectively for state programs, as well as an opportunity to view a collection of videos state programs are willing to share. The session will be offered in two 40-minute parts: The first part will be an opportunity to watch a collection of various states' videos. The second part, will be exploring the most effective ways of using the videos in marketing and outreach. Discussion questions will include length of video segments, identifying the focus or topic areas to include in the videos, and how effectiveness of the videos can be measured. This session will be an exchange of ideas and experiences from which states can learn and apply to their own programs.

Farmer Veteran Panel

This panel of farmer veterans will discuss their personal histories and the reason(s) that they currently farm; how they started their farming enterprises and the resources that were helpful to them; barriers and frustrations they faced along the way; and their current lives as farmers.  We hope to have some time at the end of their presentations for questions from the audience.

David Beardi,
BRD's Forever Farms

Denise Beyers,
Beyers Maple Farm

Sara Creech,
Blue Yonder Organic Farm

Alicia Moore,
Blue Yonder Organic Farm

AgrAbility Intervention Effects with New Clients' Quality of Life and Independent Living and Working Levels

Empirical research on what works to enhance the QOL and ILW levels of ranchers and farmers with disabilities is almost non-existent. In the present study, the author will discuss pretest/post-test changes in participants' well-being with a sample of over 175 farm and ranch family members who participated in AgrAbility in 10 states (AR, CO, KS, NC, NE, OK, TX, VA, WV, and WI). He will present a description of the sample, major physical symptoms they report, disabilities they encounter, physical well-being, psychological well-being, existential well-being, support, and overall QOL and ILW levels. He will join participants in brainstorming implications and practical steps that AgrAbility teams can take.

International Panel

Learn how farmers with disabilities are being served in India, Sweden, and Brazil. Specific case studies will be presented and overviews of how rehabilitation services are provided will be addressed. This session will be especially interesting to folks who are interested in an international dimension of rehabilitation programs for rural and farm populations.

Prosthetic Adapter for Agricultural Machinery

This session will introduce the Northeastern University Mechanical Engineering Capstone Senior Design project that aims to assist upper extremity amputees with operating heavy machinery. The presenters will validate the need for this tool, introduce the solution, and gather feedback for other potential applications and improvements to the design.

Daniel Walsh,
Northeastern University

Jacob Cohen,
Northeastern University

Andrew Waite,
Northeastern University

Saddle Up for the Ride of Your Media Life

University of Missouri Extension specialists share ways to corral media attention for your AgrAbility program. Grab the reins of a successful marketing plan through no-cost or low-cost campus resources. Giddy-up and go for new ways to successfully identify, write, distribute, and promote AgrAbility. Harness lasting relationships with members of the media at the local, state, national, and international level through tips from MU Extension specialist, Karen Funkenbusch, and writer, Linda Geist, as they guide you through the trail of their own stories on how to tell your AgrAbility success stories through the media.

Linda Geist,
University of Missouri

Karen Funkenbusch,
Missouri AgrAbility

Hard Work and Hard Lessons from Western New York Fields

Tom Rivers, author of Farm Hands: Hard Work and Hard Lessons from Western New York Fields, will share his experiences working at about a dozen Western New York farms and discuss the grueling nature of farm work.

PTSD and the Disabilities of the Post 9/11 War Veteran

This session will begin by dispelling the myths and defining PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other injuries associated with war. Participants will then learn how to navigate the VA (Veteran Administration) and learn how they can help veterans to transition into farming.

Farmer Veteran Coalition

The Farmer Veteran Coalition is the nation's largest and only national group with the mission of connecting veterans with careers in agriculture. It now has a network of 4,000 veterans in all 50 states, 72% of whom served post 9/11 and 59% of whom have service-connected disabilities. This session will discuss the programs the Farmer Veteran Coalition has developed and their unique partnership with AgrAbility.

Dinner and Auction

Dinner

Keynote Speaker: Chris Koch, Farmer from Alberta, Canada
Chris was raised in a small farming community in Alberta, Canada. He was born without arms or legs, but he doesn't let that slow him down. Chris currently works with family on the farm. When he's not in the field, he travels around as a motivational speaker.

The State Showcase Auction featuring products from several different states will follow the keynote address. Silent Auction winners will be announced prior to the start of the live auction. All funds raised from the auction will support farmer/rancher stipends for 2016.

Tour A (Full-Day Tour with the Option to Leave at 12:30 pm)
Keeping it Urban - Exploring Rochester's Downtown

Visit Goodwill of the Finger Lakes and the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Goodwill of the Finger Lakes hosts a manufacturing division, a phone contact center, food service hot-line, and vision rehabilitation center. Next, attendees will tour Black Button Distilling at the Rochester Public Market. Participants will have a chance to do a little shopping following the distillery tour in the Public Market. Lunch will be available at Genesee Brewery which offers a restaurant and tasting rooms. The final stop on this tour will be the Rochester Permaculture Center where attendees will learn about the principles of permaculture, which is the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.

Tour B
Dairy with a Dollop of Alpaca Wool

This tour begins at Springdale Farm, a 200-acre public demonstration farm that has been in operation since 1830 and provides unique demonstrations of modern agriculture. It is owned by Monroe County and operated by Heritage Christian Services, a non-sectarian human services agency that supports children and adults with developmental disabilities. Next, attendees will visit one of the largest dairy farms in New York, Lamb Farms, which boasts a 4,200 head cow herd and utilizes manure digesters to provide green energy for their operation. Tour attendees will have lunch at the Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant, which was once a part of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. The last stop on this tour will be Alpaca Odyssey, a farm that teaches visitors about alpaca farming including sales, breeding, and boarding.

Tour C
Dairy, Worms, Alpacas, and Wine...Oh My!

Coyne Family Farms has been in operation since 1922 and is currently operating a fifth-generation Dairy of Distinction. Tour this dairy operation and learn how they've grown their farm from 20 cows to a 1000 head herd. Next, visit a unique operation called Worm Power which was founded in 2003 as a way to link animal agriculture with plant agriculture by creating a professional grade organic fertilizer from dairy manure through vermicompost. Next stop is Hemlock Hills Alpacas, a 75-acre farm raising award-winning Huacaya alpacas. Tour participants will then enjoy lunch at Wegmans Market Cafe before heading to the last stop of the day, Deer Run Winery, one of the newer Finger Lakes wineries that has produced several award winning wines.

Tour D
Organics, Specialty Foods, Amish, and Mennonites...One of These Things Is Not Like the Other

First stop on this tour is Wegmans Organic Farm which develops and shares best practices with their customers and partner-growers in the grocery chain's efforts to procure as much as possible from local growers. Next, tour participants will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch at Oak Hill Bulk Foods, a family-owned specialty food store and cafe. Last stop on the tour is South View Angus Farm where the family raises certified organic Angus beef.