Iowa AgrAbility Project - Program Background

People with disabilities can remain in farming.

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Program Background

The AgrAbility Project is authorized through a provision in the 1990 Farm Bill. It is administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), which is a network that links research, science, and technology to meet the needs of people where they live and work. The national AgrAbility program partners, Easter Seals and University of Wisconsin Extension, collaborate to support state AgrAbility project activities.

Since 1991, Iowa AgrAbility has been helping farmers and farm families who are affected by disabilities. Their disabilities may be the result of farm or non-farm accidents, or health-related conditions such as stroke, heart attack, arthritis or cancer. Often these families have been encouraged to pursue another occupation rather than continue farming.

People with disabilities often must overcome significant barriers to remain in farming or farm-related occupations. They may not have access to rehabilitation technology or may not even know if it is available. If they are aware of the technology, they might lack the financial resources to pay for it.

However, people with disabilities don’t have to quit farming. Technology and support services are available and affordable now to help people with disabilities remain in farming and continue living in their own homes.

Direct assistance provided by Iowa AgrAbility staff includes:

assessing agricultural worksites and suggesting modifications;
suggesting ways to modify equipment;
assessing agricultural tasks and providing guidance on how to restructure them;
suggesting ways to make home and farm buildings more accessible;
finding services that meet specific needs; and
coordinating peer support programs.

Indirect assistance provded by Iowa AgrAbility staff includes:

providing information and education to rural professionals in Iowa who provide services to rural residents with disabilities, and
promoting increased awareness among the rural and general public that people with disabilities can and do work in agriculture.

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