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Call us toll free at (800) 825-4264


Toll Free (800) 825-4264

Program Description

Mission

The vision of AgrAbility is to enhance quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, so that they, their families, and their communities continue to succeed in rural America. For this target audience, "success" may be defined by many parameters, including: gainful employment in production agriculture or a related occupation; access to appropriate assistive technology needed for work and daily living activities; evidence-based information related to the treatment and rehabilitation of disabling conditions; and targeted support for family caregivers of AgrAbility customers. AgrAbility addresses a wide variety of disabling conditions in agriculture, including, but not limited to:

  • Arthritis
  • Spinal cord injuries/paralysis
  • Back impairments
  • Amputations
  • Brain injury
  • Visual impairments
  • Hearing impairments
  • Disabling diseases
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Respiratory impairments
  • Head injury

Priorities of AgrAbility

In fulfilling this mission, AgrAbility:

  • Develops service capacity through innovative educational programs designed to advance individual capabilities, adapt new technologies, and deliver program content through appropriate educational venues
  • Encourages networking to facilitate information sharing, the provision of services, and funding from individuals or organizations not employed by AgrAbility
  • Provides direct services to agricultural workers through individual consultations and other means

Structure of AgrAbility

AgrAbility consists of the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) and State/Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs). Both the NAP and all the SRAPs must be partnerships between a land grant university and at least one nonprofit disability organization. All AgrAbility Projects report to the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service in Washington, D.C.

History of AgrAbility

AgrAbility came into existence through the 1990 Farm Bill, and the first eight SRAPs were funded in 1991. At that time, the NAP was led by Purdue University's Breaking New Ground Resource Center in partnership with Easter Seals (national office). Funding continued to grow, and by 2000, 18 SRAPs were funded. At that time, leadership for the NAP moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in continued partnership with Easter Seals. Currently, there are 20 USDA-funded SRAPs plus several unfunded affiliates serving other states via other funding sources. The NAP moved back to Purdue University in 2008, with partnering organizations being Goodwill Industries International, the Arthritis Foundation-Indiana Chapter, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As of 2020, the NAP partners include Purdue University's Breaking New Ground Resource Center, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes, the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance, Colorado State University, and Washington State University. Prior to AgrAbility, several states had programs that assisted agricultural workers with disabilities, including Indiana (Breaking New Ground), Vermont, and Iowa. Review the summary, prepared by Breaking New Ground, of the first 25 years of AgrAbility.

AgrAbility and Special Populations

Since its establishment, the AgrAbility Program has provided services to agricultural workers with disabilities from many racial and cultural backgrounds. In 2014, with funding from USDA, the CHS Foundation, and the Farmer Veteran Coalition, two new staff members were hired to help the NAP significantly expand its outreach to several “special populations”:

  • African American farmers in conjunction with the 1890 land grant institutions
  • Farmer veterans in collaboration with the Farmer Veteran Coalition
  • Native Americans in conjunction with the 1994 land grant institutions
  • Hispanic/Latino agricultural workers in cooperation with organizations serving them

Click here to learn more about the NAP’s “Special Populations” outreach and accomplishments.

Getting Assistance

If you are an agricultural worker needing assistance, use the contact list see if your state has an AgrAbility Project. If not, please contact the NAP. Please note that AgrAbility does not provide grants, other funding, or equipment, though staff members are sometimes able to network with other organizations to assist with funding issues. State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies are sometimes able to provide assistive technology; for more information about VR, see the Worksite and Vocational Issues page. Also see our Funding Assistance page for potential funding help. 

Starting an AgrAbility Project

For information on starting an AgrAbility Project in your state, view the most recent Request for Applications (RFA) that describes what is required to submit an application for a new AgrAbility Project. The next RFA for state AgrAbility Projects is anticipated in spring 2021. The RFA for the National AgrAbility Project is also anticipated in spring 2021.