AgrAbility of Wisconsin Background Since 1991, AgrAbility of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

AgrAbility of Wisconsin

Background

• Since 1991, AgrAbility of Wisconsin has been promoting

success in agriculture for farmers and their families living with a farm injury, disability, or limitation.

• AgrAbility of Wisconsin is a partnership between the University
• f Wisconsin Extension and Easter Seals Wisconsin.
• AgrAbility of Wisconsin has created a significant impact on

Wisconsin agriculture by providing assistance to 2,900 farmers and farm families who have been able to continue farming or return to the farm worksite through AAW intervention.

UW Extension Biological Systems Engineering Easter Seals Wisconsin Farm Assessment and Rehabilitation Methods (FARM) Program Grant writing, public education, outreach Direct client services

AgrAbility Staff

Brian Luck, Co-Director, UWEX Richard Straub, Co-Director; UW-Madison Amanda Harguth, Outreach Specialist; UW-Madison

FARM Program Staff

Melba Brown T Ellenbecker Paul Untiet Paul Leverenz Ami Cooper Jeff Kratochwill Cally Ehle Christine Fessler

2018-2019 Grant Outcomes

• 361 Total Active Clients
• 772% of goal
• 54 New Clients
• 72% of goal
• 45 Closed Cases
• 138 Farm Site Visits
• 110% of goal

Location

Intake and Assessment

• Potential clients hear about AgrAbility through, newspapers, social

media, events, neighbors or family members, etc.

• We cannot reach out to anyone directly, they have to get in touch

with us through phone or email

• Very simple intake process:
• Call our office or go to our website and enroll
• Share your basic information (name, phone, address, birthday, veteran)
• Provide farm information (what type, how many cows or acres, etc.)
• Share disability or mobility issues
• No need to provide medical records
• After enrolled, a FARM (Farm Assessment and Rehabilitation

Methods) Rural Rehab Specialist from Easter Seals gets in contact for a phone call and sets up a farm visit

On Farm Visit: FARM Rural Rehab Specialist

• What we do on a visit
• Be prepared for conditions
• Understand culture
• Can be intensely private
• Pressure/stress
• Honesty
• Take time to ask questions, but also listen and establish rapport
• Gather information on farm background, financials, others involved,

clarify disability information

• Tour the farm
• Talk about work tasks, including those that are difficult and possible

solutions

What is Assistive Technology?

• Adaptive changes for people with disabilities
• Typically includes: devices or equipment that address the

limitations, may include adjusting methods to accomplish a task

• Can be low tech or high tech; expensive or inexpensive
• With the use of assistive technology, a person with a disability

can maintain their independence and productive lifestyle on a farm

Assistive Technology Assessment

• Identify the general problem area
• Is their rehab intervention that could improve the function?
• Can the task be reassigned?
• Once the specific problem is identified and AT is required then
• Consider if there is a commercially available item (off the shelf)

designed for that specific purpose that would accommodate the problem

• Is there a commercially available item designed to complete something

else that would also accommodate the area

• Modify a product. Cost? Liability?
• Fabricate a new product

Assistive Technology Examples

• Extra steps
• Hand Controls

Assistive Technology Examples

• Agri-speed

Automatic Hitch

• Allows hitching and

unhitching without leaving the tractor seat

• PTO Compatible
• Compatible with

choppers

• Increases efficiency

Assistive Technology Examples

• Back Saver type grip, extra handle

Assistive Technology Examples

• Extended Mirrors
• High-backed seat

with air suspension

Assistive Technology Examples

• Freedom Chair
• Track Chair

Contact us!

• AgrAbility of Wisconsin

460 Henry Mall Madison, WI 53706

• 608.262.9336
• agrability@wisc.edu
• https://agrability.bse.wisc.edu/

Next up:

• Tom Brandt is the Chief of Farm Loan Programs for the Farm

Service Agency in Wisconsin. FSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administers various farm programs authorized by the Farm Bill and provides family farmers access to credit through direct and guaranteed farm

• wnership and operating loans.
• Tom was raised on a dairy farm in Sauk County and has been

with FSA for over 30 years. As Wisconsin’s Farm Loan Chief, he has oversight of one of the largest FSA loan portfolios in the nation, consisting of over 5,600 direct and guaranteed loan customers for over Two billion dollars.