Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the overarching goal of the indiana…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the overarching goal of the indiana agrability project (the project) is to improve quality of life for farmers ranchers and their families who are impacted by disability so that they and their communities continue to succeed and prosper. For this target audience success may be defined by many parameters including: gainful employment in production agriculture or a related occupation; access to appropriate assistive technology needed for work and daily living activities; evidence-based information related to the treatment and rehabilitation of disabling conditions; and targeted support for family caregivers of agrability customers. The indiana agrability project (the project) will build on forty-one years of experience that began when purdue's breaking new ground resource center started serving farmers with disabilities in 1979. Key to the project's efforts will be core services including on-farm assessments with expanded focus on veterans pursuing careers in agriculture.estimates indicate that more than 26000 people in indiana could benefit from agrability services; thus collaboration with other organizations will be essential to effective outreach. The project has worked for many years to develop a vital relationship with indiana vocational rehabilitation the primary funder of assistive technology for agrability clients so the project will continue building that important partnership. Other essential continuing collaborations include the project's relationships with purdue extension easterseals crossroads/indata and farm bureau. Agrability will also continue to build its relationship with the farmer veteran coalition of indiana which launched in 2017.in addition to core services like farm assessments public awareness events and veterans' workshops the project will expand efforts to address mental/behavioral health among agricultural populations. IT will collaborate with purdue extension to promote mental health first aid (MHFA) courses to agrability clients and stakeholders.as a result of these services and collaborations IT is expected that an increased number of farmers with disabilities will receive rehabilitation and will remain or become employed in agriculture. In additionthere will be an increased awareness of disability in agriculture assistive technology and agrability services among farm families professionals serving farm families and veterans veterans in agricultureextension USDA staff and the general public.