Supporting Farmers with Disabilities through AgrAbility with Dr. Serap Gorucu and Lindsey Head

The Independent Life

The National AgrAbility Project is a federally-funded program that aims to help farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities to continue working and living independently. The project is a collaboration between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and various universities across the country. The primary goal of the National AgrAbility Project is to provide assistance to agricultural workers who have physical, cognitive, or other disabilities that may make it difficult for them to perform their work safely and efficiently. The project provides a variety of services to help these workers overcome the barriers that they may face in their work, including:

• On-site assessments: AgrAbility staff members can visit a farm or ranch to assess the needs of the worker and make recommendations for modifications to the workplace or equipment that may help them to work more comfortably and safely.
• Technical assistance: AgrAbility staff members can provide information about adaptive technology and equipment that may be useful for agricultural workers with disabilities, as well as training on how to use this equipment.
• Education and training: The National AgrAbility Project offers workshops, webinars, and other training opportunities for agricultural workers with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers. These events cover a wide range of topics related to agriculture and disability, including assistive technology, financial planning, and workplace safety.
• Peer support: The project also provides opportunities for agricultural workers with disabilities to connect with others who have similar experiences, through support groups, mentoring programs, and other peer-to-peer support services.

Overall, the National AgrAbility Project is a valuable resource for agricultural workers with disabilities who want to continue working in the field. The project helps to ensure that these workers can work safely and efficiently, while maintaining their independence and quality of life.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Serap Gorucu, PhD from the department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The University of Florida and Lindsey Head, Principal Investigator for the Florida AgrAbility Program. The National Agrability Project has been around since 1990 and is now in 21 states. This is the first time Florida has received funding for this program. Serap and Lindsey discuss why agriculture is so important for everybody, as it touches everything from food, medicine, transportation, clothes, and more. Agriculture is fundamental to our society and culture, and they delve into what farming culture is like. They also talk about why they are inspired and passionate to support those who work in agriculture. The Florida Agrability program received notice of award 8 months ago in August 2022 and now has an amazing team whose goal is to serve farmers and those who work in agriculture and have disabilities or have been injured. Agriculture is one of the most dangerous professions in the United States, making it crucial to reach out to this community, meet them, gain their trust, and better understand their needs and challenges so that they can continue farming. Serap and Lindsey both emphasize that farmers are the backbone of our society, and supporting them is essential. They talk about their “why” - why farming, why a program like this exists, and why they do it. Tune in to learn more about how the AgrAbility project is helping to support farmers and agricultural workers with disabilities, and why it is so important to continue this work.

Episode Resources:

• Website: http://agrability.ifas.ufl.edu
• E-mail: [e-mail]
• Phone: [phone]
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fl.agrability
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/FL_AgrAbility