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The NTW was a great success! It was wonderful to be in person again. Just under 200 people attended the NTW in Madison, WI. There were many great sessions, discussions, meals, and much networking that took place. Over $11,000 was raised through the silent and live auctions and the basket raffles. Thank you to all those who donated and made bids on items. Thank you to all those who helped plan and execute the 2022 NTW. The NAP is looking forward to planning the 2023 NTW. Anyone interested in being on the planning committee for 2023, please contact Tess at tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org or by phone at 585-447-9015.

Thank you also to everyone else who attended and participated in the NTW, including the six couples/individuals who volunteered on the spot to be videoed for future "What AgrAbility Means to Me" clips on the NAP website. More

NAP partner AgriSafe attended the 2022 NTW training in Madison, WI, where staff members were asked to demonstrate how to properly fit PPE gear - specifically, proper use of masks. Here Charlotte Halverson demonstrates two different types for audience members.

Two AgriSafe staff members were also able to train attendees with QPR training, which teaches laypeople and professionals to recognize and respond to mental health crises using the approach of Question, Persuade, and Refer. Linda Emanuel and Carey Portell discussed the seriousness of suicide prevention in farmers and farm families and how to respond to those in mental health crisis.

Registration is open for the regional workshop in Columbus, OH, which will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn Columbus Easton on June 28th - 30th . It will focus on urban agriculture, working with vocational rehabilitation, prescription medication safety, assistive technology in agriculture, farming with a developmental disability, business planning, and work/life balance. More

AgrAbility/North Central FRSAN webinar: "Veterans, Agriculture, and Stress," Thursday, May 19 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Details coming via email soon.

NAP is making several changes in the annual demographic data collection instrument. Chuck Baldwin plans to soon contact the SRAP staff normally responsible for providing demographic data.

Kimber Nicoletti-Martínez gave a presentation and staffed a display at the 2022 Midwest Stream Forum for Agricultural Worker Health on March 28-30 in Austin, TX. She was joined by Esmeralda Mandujano of California AgrAbility and Elizabeth Gandara-Castillo of Texas AgrAbility.

Thank you to Texas AgrAbility OT interns Maggie Mencer and Faye McGuire for assisting NAP in staffing a display at the 2022 AOTA Convention on March 31 - April 3 in San Antonio.

As was featured at the National Training Workshop (NTW) this year, attended by DeShana York and Ron & Marji Illingworth from AK, a farmer profile sheet was developed to showcase the North Pole Peonies operation and engagement with the Alaska project. More

The AKAgrAbility team recently attended the Matanuska Master Gardener Conference with over 120 participants. Assistive technology demonstrations and outreach around accessible gardening techniques were presented.

In mid-March, California AgrAbility team members attended the week-long AgrAbility National Training Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin. Team member Esme Mandujano participated in panel presentations on the topics of cultural humility and migrant farmworker assistive technology. More

March was a busy month for the Colorado AgrAbility project. Staff spent the first part of the month traveling to the far west of Colorado, putting on winter workshops and visiting with farmers and ranchers. More

National Ag Day was March 22nd. In celebration, Irwin County hosted an Ag Awareness Day in Ocilla, GA, for 5th graders. AgrAbility staff hosted a farm safety demonstration in which over 100 students participated.

Georgia AgrAbility attended the AgrAbility National Training Workshop and had a great time connecting with everyone and learning from the great sessions. Staff were excited to have their partners from the Shepherd Center and the Southern Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network join them for the NTW. Staff presented at two sessions: "Design by What You Can Find" and "Vision Solutions for Farmers."

Chuck Baldwin presented AgrAbility and staffed a booth at the Black Loam conference for socially disadvantaged farmers held in Gary, IN, March 12. The conference was attended by at least 53 people. More

Kansas AgrAbility, Ohio AgrAbility, and Alaska AgrAbility recently wrote a self-determined 4-H project: "Disability Advocacy and Awareness," which has been published on the Ohio State University Extension 4-H website. More

Marty Cotterman with Life Essentials joined Kansas AgrAbility and SAVE Farm for a demonstration of the Life Essentials truck lift. More

Small growers have an interest in maximizing their efficiency as well as production. KS AgrAbility staff were invited to highlight ergonomic tools, protective clothing for varying weather conditions, and modifications to small machinery to support producers with a variety of abilities. More

The 2022 Boots-2-Bushels (B2B) class hosted its first in-person farm field day at Morning Dew Farm Seedling and Supply in Damariscotta, Maine. The 30 attendees learned all the tips and tricks that Farmer Brady could teach about starting and growing seedlings. More

Corey Young is a master's level OT student from the University of New England who has just finished up her level 2 fieldwork experience with Maine AgrAbility. More

The Maine AgrAbility group had a great time at the NTW and did themselves proud representing their state efforts. Three staff members and one farmer attended in-person, and three additional staffers joined remotely to present or participate in seven workshops and panel discussions throughout the week. More

The quarterly Maine AgrAbility Advisory Council meeting was held in March via zoom. More

Be sure to check out Maine AgrAbility's most recent news and blog posts:

Michigan AgrAbility had a presence at the AgrAbility National Training Workshop in Madison, WI, this past month. A reception was held for the Michigan-affiliated folks to enjoy fellowship and get acquainted. More

Missouri AgrAbility actively participated during the 2022 AgrAbility National Training workshops through poster and oral presentations; facilitating an exhibit and passing out resources; and participating in community of interest (COI) meetings. More

Missouri AgrAbility focused its social media outreach efforts on Brain Injury Awareness month for farmers, ranchers, and their families. Here is the link to their Brain Injury Awareness Promotional Toolkit.

John Fuller, field specialist in human development, and Karen Funkenbusch, director, Missouri AgrAbility from MU Extension, facilitated a 45-minute interview with Life Radio 90.3, "the station with a heart," about Missouri AgrAbility services, programs, and activities provided to farmers and ranchers with disabilities, veteran farmers, and their families.

Brain Injury Awareness Month featured the "Brain Injury Fact of the Day" sponsored by Missouri AgrAbility during March 2022. More

Emily Doosing, Missouri Extension specialist in 4-H youth development, presented the

"4-H Save Your Brain" poster during the 2022 AgrAbility NTW. More

Missouri AgrAbility was highlighted as a program partner for the BIA-MO Survivor and Family Seminars that were held online on March 26 and April 2. More

Four team members attended the NTW and came away with some valuable information and experiences, like making bovine friends on the dairy tour.

The Nebraska Advisory Council met in March for input and feedback on projects. It was great to see everyone in person and on Zoom! The Nebraska team will offer all future annual meetings with the virtual option to accommodate those who cannot attend in person.

Brochures promoting AgrAbility were distributed to the 55 participants at the SW Beef Symposium held in Tucumcari, NM.

Staff are delighted that the Covid-19 pandemic in New Mexico has been waning and that they have had increased referrals from farmers and increased interest from farmers for farm-site assessments.

NC AgrAbility Partnership participated in the National Training Workshop in Madison, WI, from March 14-17. The NTW counted on the participation of 19 North Carolinians, including NC farmer Davon Goodwin, the keynote speaker who shared his continuous healing process with the AgrAbility folks. More

Ohio AgrAbility staff and farmers enjoyed attending the NTW in Madison, WI. Everyone welcomed the opportunities to meet new people, learn from their colleagues and other presenters, and network and share ideas to grow the Ohio Project. More

OAP staff presented an overview of Ohio AgrAbility services, assistive technology, and ways to modify equipment and facilities, to Dr. Dee Jepsen's ag safety class. More

The month of March was about the National Training Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin! The AgrAbility PA staff members were thrilled to be surrounded by colleagues and friends. More

In addition, Linda Fetzer presented in March at the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Meeting in Region 4 (Johnstown). Her presentation included information on AgrAbility PA and mental health.

Over 1,200 adults and youth attended Discovery Park's National Ag Day on March 22. TN AgrAbility, TN Association of Rescue Squads, and Kentucky Department of Ag partnered together for a grain bin rescue scenario. More

Forty-six TN rescue personnel and agriculture producers in Bedford, Franklin, Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, and Moore counties spent a Saturday learning about grain bin safety and rescue awareness. More

TNAP staff Joetta T. White was honored to be recognized by KY Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles and Dale Dobson, KDA safety administrator, for her work in Tennessee on grain bin safety and rescue during the Discovery Park National Ag Day activities. More

TNAP was honored to be asked to be on the planning committee and to speak at the first Cultivate Women in Ag Conference. TNAP staff Joetta T. White's presentation, "Maintenance is More Than A Grease Gun," showed different "tools" to make farming/gardening tasks easier. More

Congratulations to Dr. Derrick Stowell on his national recognition and on making a difference in TN with his research to help veterans. More

Staff were "synergized" with their AgrAbility friends and with lots of networking and sharing new ideas and technology to help their farmers, in Madison, WI, at the annual AgrAbility National Training workshop! More

Tesha Humphrey, University of TN Extension coordinator for the Southern Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network team, presented and updated on S-FRSAN regional programs and support networks to help farmers manage mental health and farm stress. More

Jason Barber, a cattle farmer from Centerville, TN, who is legally blind, demonstrated his OrCam at the "Vision Solutions" NTW session with Ned Stoller. Jason said, "Thanks to this program, as well as the local vocational rehab, they are the reasons I have received the assistive technology to help me on my farming operation. More

Charley Jordan, TN farmer veteran consultant and flower farmer, represented TN well at the NTW and shared his veteran to farmer story on the veteran panel session. More

Texas AgrAbility staff conducted an assessment for a client interested in purchasing a new sub-compact John Deere tractor for his small farm. Recommendations were made for a lift, hand controls, and quick-connect attachments. More

Texas AgrAbility staff presented two presentations at the NTW: "Working with Capstone Students to Augment AgrAbility Services" and "How do We Educate Military Veterans as Successful Beginning Farmers?"

Ellie Gandara-Castillo, migrant and seasonal farmworker coordinator, attended the Midwest Stream Forum for Farmworker Health and helped with the AgrAbility booth. More

AgrAbility staff members Makenzie Thomas and Ellie Gandara Castillo attended the "We Are Women in Agriculture" virtual workshop where resources were shared with female agriculture producers.

AgrAbility of Utah staff had a wonderful time at the NTW in Madison and would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this a very special event.

On March 24, AgrAbility of Utah staff met online with staff from the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation to address any barriers and learn more about each other's organization.

AgrAbility staff were excited to attend the Utah/Arizona Range Livestock Workshop on March 29 and 30. Staff were able to meet with over 200 farmers and ranchers at this two-day conference held in Hurricane, UT, and Orderville, UT.

AgrAbility Virginia is currently working with 33 farmer clients at various levels of engagement and need, including a vegetable farmer from Fluvanna County with arthritis who was able to get a garden cart that staff helped her identify.

Staff traveled to Madison, WI, for the NTW in March. See VCE Specialist Eddie Allen, Program Director Dr. Kim Niewolny, and Field Coordinator Tony Edwards displaying for Virginia's AgrAbility Project in the attached image.

Field Coordinator Jeremy Daubert presented on AgrAbility Virginia and farm safety to the C.L. Payne FFA Chapter in Fauquier County during National FFA Week on March 7th.

AgrAbility Virginia Project Director Dr. Kim Niewolny presented on AgrAbility during the Virginia Agriculture and Natural Resources Summit April 12-13 in Richmond.

Washington State AgrAbility Project (WSAP) attended the much-anticipated AgrAbility National Training Workshop in Madison, WI, March 14-17th. More

Northwest Access Fund, in cooperation with WSAP, launched a series of four webinars in March with topics of: More

WSAP implemented the ASANA record keeping system and is using it to track information and communication with clients.

AgrAbility of WI was so happy to see everyone at the NTW, make new friends, and listen to some great sessions. Dr. Richard Straub was awarded the Breaking New Ground Achievement Award and the staff couldn't be more excited for him.

After a successful NTW in Madison, WI, a few weeks ago, AgrAbility of Wisconsin has been busy gearing up for the WPS Farm Show in Oshkosh, the annual Summit in Cashton at Organic Valley, and a DVR counselor training at the Marshfield Ag Research Station. The WI staff are excited for all of these fun spring activities to get them out and see new and potential clients as well as for the hands-on experience with DVR.

As spring comes to Wisconsin, staff are excited for planting season and wish everyone a safe and healthy time.

In the past months, farmers across East Africa have seen major agricultural production loss due to drought, pests, and diseases. AgrAbility for Africa has been active out in the field to support and enhance awareness of ecosystem resilience to limit damage caused by climate change and variability.... More

On the subject of resilience, the AgrAbility for Africa and Uganda Junior Rangers team partnered for a webinar to share experiences and best practices on inclusion, building capacity for circular innovation, and tackling aquatic/marine pollution in commemoration of the International Solidarity Cleanup that was held on March 13, 2022. More

Please help Missouri welcome Bessie Cox to the AgrAbility Project.

"Hi, my name is Bessie Cox, the new Program Manager for the Brain Injury Association of Missouri. I have 15 years in healthcare, mental health, and case management, along with a BA in Psychology. With psychology having been one of my first loves, and it still is, the mind continues to fascinate me. More

NC AgrAbility welcomes Dr. Crystal Cook Marshal, NC AgrAbility Partnership director and NC Agromedicine coordinator, and Kelsey Kilgore, NC AgrAbility field agent.

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Problems? Contact Chuck Baldwin, National AgrAbility Project, baldwi19@purdue.edu

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