All About AgrAbility
Posted November 19, 2010 by Mandy Smith in Consumer Opportunities
Information on Agribility courtesy of Kerri Ebert, Kansas AgrAbility Project Coordinator, with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University.
The Kansas AgrAbility Project assists people with disabilities who are employed in agriculture. Its goal is to inform, educate, and assist farmers, farm families, and farm workers who have disabilities, so they can continue to work and thrive in their agricultural career.
Kansas AgrAbility is a partnership between K-State Research & Extension in Manhattan, Southeast Kansas Independent Living, and Assistive Technology for Kansans, both based in Parsons. Contact Kansas AgrAbility by calling 1-800-526-3648 or http://agrability.bae.ksu.edu/. The project is funded by a United States Department of Agriculture grant for the purpose of providing information and resources to help Kansas farmers with disabilities locate and access appropriate assistive occupational technologies. Fostering the ability of farmers to live and work independently is the ultimate goal.
Kansas AgrAbility customers can be owner/operators, farm employees, or family members. AgrAbility services are available at no cost for any type of disability – physical, cognitive, or sensory. Examples of disabilities include, but are not limited to: Amputation, arthritis, back pain or injury, hearing impairment or deafness, head injury, heart problems, neurological disorders, paralysis, Parkinson’s Disease, respiratory problems, stroke, or traumatic brain injury.
Any disability that limits an individual’s capacity to do agricultural work or activities of daily farm living qualifies that person for AgrAbility services. Kansas AgrAbility Agriculture Assistive Technology (AT) Specialists meet directly with farmers. These professionals combine their knowledge of agriculture with disability expertise to provide farmers with the specialized services needed to safely accommodate their disabilities in everyday farm and ranch operations.
AgrAbility provides information and educational materials for farmers, ranchers, their family members , and the professionals who serve them; recommends farm equipment modifications, home modifications, and adaptive equipment; and refers farm families to local service providers.
