Program Helps Injured Ag Workers

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #1, Page #36

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AgrAbility, a Georgia-based extension program, aims to provide information, resources and services to qualifying agricultural workers to help them remain in the field after injuries.
In Ga. alone, an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 agriculture workers have experienced physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities that compromise their ability to do their jobs. AgrAbility aims to give these workers a second chance through modifications that meet their ability levels.
AgrAbility acts as an intermediary between these farmers and the resources available to help them.
The program provides information about education opportunities, refers qualifying workers to agencies, and helps distribute available resources. This may include securing funds for assistive technology such as all-terrain wheelchairs or organizing community workgroups for building onsite modifications like raised beds at accessible heights.
When you sign up for the program, an AgrAbility Service Coordinator will visit your worksite, assess the challenges in the current operation, and suggest where to make changes. They will then develop a plan for making the transition. In many cases, restructuring the workload or investing in labor-saving technology can keep farmers active in their current operations. As one example, AgrAbility helped a chicken farmer transition from performing local deliveries to a shipping model when glaucoma compromised his eyesight and ability to drive.
While there are no fees associated with AgrAbility services, the program does not have funds to provide directly to the farmer. If the farmer has a financial need, AgrAbility staff can help them apply for outside funding to cover the costs of assistive technology and worksite modifications. Occasionally, farmers can receive custom equipment built at Farm Again’s workshop at the Tifton campus, so long as they cover the cost of materials.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Farm Again, 850 College Station Road, Athens, Ga. 30605 (ph 877-524-6264 or 706-542-0304); farmagain@uga.edu; www.farmagain.com).

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Program Helps Injured Ag Workers SPECIALTY/SERVICES AgrAbility a Georgia-based extension program aims to provide information resources and services to qualifying agricultural workers to help them remain in the field after injuries In Ga alone an estimated 25 000 to 35 000 agriculture workers have experienced physical sensory or cognitive disabilities that compromise their ability to do their jobs AgrAbility aims to give these workers a second chance through modifications that meet their ability levels AgrAbility acts as an intermediary between these farmers and the resources available to help them The program provides information about education opportunities refers qualifying workers to agencies and helps distribute available resources This may include securing funds for assistive technology such as all-terrain wheelchairs or organizing community workgroups for building onsite modifications like raised beds at accessible heights When you sign up for the program an AgrAbility Service Coordinator will visit your worksite assess the challenges in the current operation and suggest where to make changes They will then develop a plan for making the transition In many cases restructuring the workload or investing in labor-saving technology can keep farmers active in their current operations As one example AgrAbility helped a chicken farmer transition from performing local deliveries to a shipping model when glaucoma compromised his eyesight and ability to drive While there are no fees associated with AgrAbility services the program does not have funds to provide directly to the farmer If the farmer has a financial need AgrAbility staff can help them apply for outside funding to cover the costs of assistive technology and worksite modifications Occasionally farmers can receive custom equipment built at Farm Again’s workshop at the Tifton campus so long as they cover the cost of materials Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Farm Again 850 College Station Road Athens Ga 30605 ph 877-524-6264 or 706 542-0304 ; farmagain@uga edu; www farmagain com

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