2026 AgrAbility National Training Workshop

Schedule

Schedule subject to change

Monday, March 16th: 8 am – 6 pm

Pre-conference sessions

• 9 am – 4:30 pm:  Mental Health First Aid- $55 fee
• 1 pm – 4 pm:  New Staff Training
• 1 pm – 4:30 pm:  Worksite Assessment, Secondary Injury, and AT Selection- $25 fee  What is an Assistive Technology Assessment    How to do an Ag AT Assessment
• 4:30 pm – 6 pm:  Poster Session and Reception 2026 Poster Descriptions

 

Tuesday, March 17th: 8 am – 5 pm                  

• 8 am – 9 am:  Opening Conference General Session Adam Ingrao
• 9:15 am – 10:15 am:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Assistive Technology for Cattle Producers
  • When the Work Changes You: Supporting Farmer Mental Health Through Education and Adaptive Resilience
  • Working Waterfronts, Unconferenced: Building Support for Sea-Based Producers
  • VetFarmNetwork
• 10:15 am – 10:45 am Break
• 10:45 am – 12:15 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Custom-built Assistive Technology for Farmers
  • 10:45-11:45 Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias: Support for Farmers, Ranchers and Their Families
  • 11:45-12:15 Dementia in Agriculture Discussion
  • Improving Your Relationship with Vocational Rehabilitation in Your State: A Panel Discussion
  • Collaborating to Strengthen Preparedness and Disaster Recovery for Families Impacted by Disabilities
• 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm :  Lunch
• 1:45 pm – 2:30 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Amplifying AgrAbility: AT Digital Stories
  • Mental Health in Agriculture: The OT Perspective and Practice
  • The Motherhouse Project
  • Cultivating Resilience: How Missouri AgrAbility & 4-H Promote Farm Safety and Mental Wellbeing for All Youth
• 2:40 pm – 3:40 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Bodies, Boats, and Better Ideas: One Fisherman’s Story of Right-Sizing His Work
  • HBG Healing Gardens: Farmacy Concepts for Self & Community
  • AgrAbility Outreach: Low-Cost, High-Impact Activities to Engage Every Visitor
  • Gearing Up 4 Safety Through Disability Awareness
• 3:40 pm – 4:00 pm:  Break
• 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Cade & Ben’s Adaptive Adventure
  • No Bones About It, Skeleton Models Increase Understanding
  • PI Session
  • Beginning Veteran Farmer Panel
• 6:00 pm Banquet and Auction with Keynote Speaker- Doug VerHoeven

Wednesday, March 18th: 8 am – 5 pm

• 8:00 am – 9:00 am:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Abilities, Workflow and Support: Low Tech Systems & Devices for Farmers and Ranchers with Disabilities
  • Understanding and Preventing Substance Misuse in Agriculture: Identifying Links Between Chronic Pain, Loneliness, and Farming
  • Supplemental Funding Workgroup Update on Fundraising Toolkit:Developing Financial Sustainable Programs Handout 1 Handout 2 Handout 3
  • Communicating with Farmers
• 9:10 am – 10:10 am:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • ExoSkeletons in Agriculture
  • Free Falling on the Farm
  • Limitless Livestock: A Collaborative Outreach Model
  • AgrAbility and AI: The Good, The Bad, and the Ethical
• 10:10 am – 10:40 am:  Break
• 10:40 am – 12:10 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • AT to Expanding Access to the Outdoors & Inclusive Recreation at Sleeping Bear Dunes National
  • Growing Ability: How Care Farming and Florida AgrAbility are Expanding Opportunities in Agriculture
  • Adapting Farm Work for Comfort, Ease, and Mobility for All
  • Small Business Association Programs for Veterans and How to Plan for Profit
  • Outdoor AT Show and Tell
• 12:10pm – 1:40pm: Lunch
• 1:40pm – 2:40 pm: Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Indoor AT Show and Tell
  • Taking Care of Business: Practical Ways to Cope with Stress One Field at a Time
  • Communicating the Economic Impacts of AgrAbility to Stakeholders
  • AgrAbility/Extension Meet Up
• 2:50 pm – 3:50 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • Taking Your Farm’s Products Directly to the Consumer: Things to Consider When Starting Your Small Business
  • Functional Farmers: Foundations of Movement from Colorado and Maine AgrAbility
  • Teamwork Makes the “Show Me” Dream Work
  • Exploring Peer-To-Peer Networks and Programing
• 3:50 pm – 4:15 pm:  Break
• 4:15 pm – 5:00 pm:  Conference Breakout Sessions
  • AgrAbility Service: Through the Lens of a Farmer and a Caregiver
  • Behavioral Health Services for Farmers: A Comparison of Programs in the Midwest
  • Interactive Dashboard for Agricultural Injury Surveillance: Enhancing Stakeholder Insights and Engagement through Optimized Data Visualization
  • Best Practices for an Agriculture Skillbridge Program
• Dinner on your own

Thursday, March 19th: 8 am – 4 pm

Conference Tours

OPTION 1 (Full Day Tour)  8 am-4:30 pm

Leelanau County: Visit the Cherry Republic processing facility – including a tour of the bakery! – and see the scenic Sleeping Bear Dunes national lakeshore and learn about their accessibility programs including track chair rentals.  We will also be giong to either MSU’s NW Mi Horticultural Research Station or a Hard Cider Processing Facility.

OPTION 2 – (Full Day Tour)  8 am-4:30 pm

Grand Traverse County: Join AgrAbility clients at two different farms to see a maple sugar operation in action and learn about accessibility accommodations at a haying operation. You will also tour the Coast Guard Air Station which is vital for Great Lakes cold water rescue and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.

OPTION 3 (Full Day Tour)  8 am- 4:00 pm

Benzie County: Tour an Alpaca Farm that is an agritourism stop, the St. Ambrose honey processing facility and meadery, followed by lunch and an optional tasting at the taproom.  After lunch, tour the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Rotational Grazing Program.