I have a disability and would like to find out if I might qualify for assistance to start a farm business.

  1. Visit the Funding Assistance page of this website www.agrability.org/funding-assistance for information on disability- and agriculture-related funding options.
  2. Listed below are federal and state government-related entities that either provide or can work with you in seeking out low-interest loans and/or grants for starting a farm business, including purchasing agricultural equipment and production inputs. Vocational Rehabilitation is of particular interest, since they often provide small grants to people with disabilities for starting a business.

    • Farm Service Agency (both funding and assistance). Nearly every county in the U.S. has an FSA office. Check the local phone book, or call FSA national headquarters @ 202-720-2791 to obtain the phone number of your state or county FSA office. On the Web—go to www.fsa.usda.gov and click on “State Offices,” then on your state on the U.S. map, then on “County Offices,” and finally on your county on the state map.

    • U.S. Small Business Administration (provides both loans and business plan assistance). By phone—call the federal office @ 800-827-5722 to obtain your state office or nearest branch office phone number. On the Web—go to www.sba.gov and click on “Contact,” then on “Find Your Local SBA District Office,” then on your state on the U.S. map, and finally on the nearest branch-office city.

    • State Vocational Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Services, etc. (titles vary by state) (provides grants and planning assistance). By phone—look in the yellow pages under “Government, State” or in a separate section ahead of the white pages that lists state government offices. On the Web—go to www.agrability.org and click on “Resources” then “Worksite and Vocational Issues.” The section “State Vocational Rehabilitation Contacts” is near the top of the page.

    • County Cooperative Extension Services (provides planning assistance only). By phone—look in the yellow pages under “Government, County” or in a separate section in front of the white pages that lists county government offices. On the Web—go to www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension and click on your state on the U.S. map, then on your county on the state map.

    • Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (both funding and assistance). By phone—call the SARE national office @ 202-720-5384 to obtain the nearest SARE regional office phone number. On the Web—go to www.sare.org and click on “For Farmers & Ranchers” for information about grants for established farmers who want to work with an education entity on a research project; also, click on your state on the U.S. map for your SARE Region’s phone number and Web site.

    • USDA Rural Development (provides value-added producer grants). By phone—look in the yellow pages under “Government, U.S.” or in a separate section in front of the white pages that lists federal government agencies. On the Web—go to www.rurdev.usda.gov and click on “State Offices,” then on your state on the U.S. map, then “Offices,” and finally on your county on your state map. Grants and loans may be used for working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy.

  3. Check out the “Toolbox,” which is a CD-ROM and on-line catalog of commercial and farmer-modified equipment and assistive devices for farming with a disability. One section that would be particularly helpful is the Plowshares Technical Reports series, which includes reports on farming with a specific disability (e.g., spinal cord injury, lower extremity amputation or impairment, back impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy). Your county Extension office and local high school agricultural education teacher should have a copy of the “Toolbox” CD to view (perhaps borrow), or you can access it (in pdf format) at www.bngtoolbox.info.
  4. Another good source of information for beginning farmers is Begin Farming Ohio at: beginfarmingohio.org.