University of Wisconsin - Extension

A 1996 U.S. Bureau of Census Survey of Income and Program Participation showed that 19.7 percent, or 52.6 million Americans live with a disability, meaning they experience limits to a major activity, like working, due to chronic health conditions or impairments.

AgrAbility assists disabled farmers

Over 22 percent of Wisconsin¿s adult population has a disability, according to 1990 census figures. The AgrAbility of Wisconsin project focuses on the needs of those who are involved in agriculture.

"We look for a full range of assistive technologies to help people with disabilities live and farm independently," says Cheryl Skjolaas, UW-Extension agricultural safety specialist with the AgrAbility project.

"In order to help people with disabilities succeed in farming, we recognize everything from simple solutions to complex technologies. There is no standard solution. Every agricultural operation is different and every individual¿s experience with disability is different," Skjolaas explains.

Cooperative Extension partners with Easter Seal Society

AgrAbility of Wisconsin is a University of Wisconsin-Extension outreach program of the Center for Agricultural Safety and Health in Biological Systems Engineering at UW-Madison. The program assists clients with modification of equipment and work sites; managing stress; coordinating community and health care services; restructuring farm jobs and developing alternative jobs; preventing secondary injury and identifying sources of personal and financial support.

AgrAbility is a national project funded in 18 states. The cooperative extension service in each state partners with a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities. AgrAbility of Wisconsin is a partnership between UW Cooperative Extension and the Easter Seal Society of Wisconsin. Since 1991, the program has served nearly 800 Wisconsin farmers, farm workers and their families dealing with the effects of a disability.

Serving clients with occupational and other disabilities

AgrAbility serves clients with a range of disabilities. Clients may be dealing with common injuries and illnesses such as heart disease and arthritis. Or, they may have injuries and health conditions that are more common in agricultural occupations. AgrAbility of Wisconsin clients may be affected by milker¿s knee or respiratory conditions such as farmer¿s lung. These agricultural health risks vary by region due to differences in crops and production methods, but the fact that farming is a dangerous profession is in evidence nationwide.

New network to identify resources

Last year, the Biological Systems Engineering Department was awarded U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to provide support to the national AgrAbility program. The goal is to create a network of state and national projects in order to share information and professional contacts and make resources available to people in areas not served by state programs.

"New projects will benefit from the history of longer term projects," says Skjolaas. "The network will expand the impact of projects with a specialty focus and help us identify resources and expertise around the country. We are building our electronic-based resources and providing accessibility to those resources on the Web."

For more information about AgrAbility of Wisconsin: Jessica Danziger, (608) 262-9336

For information about the national AgrAbility project: Cheryl Skjolaas, (608) 265-0568 or skjolaas@facstaff.wisc.edu"> skjolaas@facstaff.wisc.edu

AgrAbility of Wisconsin, a partnership between UW-Extension and the Easter Seals Society of Wisconsin, helps people with disabilities live and farm independently.

UW-Extension leads national Web site accessibility project

Kevin Graeme, UW-Extension electronic publishing specialist, has been working since late November on the new national project Web site at http://www.agrabilityproject.org/">www.agrabilityproject.org. UW-Extension and AgrAbility of Wisconsin will maintain the site for the four-year grant period and Graeme has designed the site with accessibility as an imperative.

"We made a completely fresh start," says Graeme, "to create a site that is as clean and simple as possible. Accessibility requires pre-planning and that helped us build in the flexibility necessary for use by a variety of users and assistive technologies."

Graeme conducted a thorough review of the site based on the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The site follows basic accessibility guidelines to reduce barriers for persons with disabilities.

Photo caption: Jim Zell, left, an AgrAbility client, relies on a John Deere Gator as a mobility aid after injuring his back in a fall. Here he talks with (from center) Paul Levernz, of Easter Seals of Wisconsin, Ron Schuler, AgrAbility director, and a group of national staff members on Zell's farm near Mosinee.

Photo credit: Cheryl Skjolaas