Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and other agricultural workers impacted by disabilities. Farm family members, caregivers,and others impacted by disabilities. Professionals serving the aforementioned audiences. Underserved subcategoriesinclude Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, staff members and clientele from 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions,veterans with disabilities interested in agriculture, and agricultural workers in Amish/Old Order Anabaptist communities. Changes/Problems:Denise Heath retired as the program's administrative assistant after more than 30 years at Purdue, and she was replaced by Nicole Schroeder. Not other changes occurred during the project year regarding personnel, budget, or assurance statements. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1.a.1 AgrAbility National Training Workshop (NTW). The 2024 NTW was held in Atlanta, GA. Planning meetings were held monthly, and the event was promoted nationally and internationally. The NTW took place March 25-28 and was attended by a record 260 people. There were general sessions, approximately 48 breakout sessions, plenary/keynote speakers, and three tours on March 28. A Mental Health First Aid training was held on March 25, and there were several sessions that pertained to rural mental health. Travel stipends (through non-USDA funds) were given to 54 people, including 37 farmers and 17 caregivers. An evaluation survey was responded to by 124 people, and almost all strongly agreed or agree that the NTW's goals were met. Attendees included individuals from South Korea and Guam. 1.a.2 AgrAbility regional workshops. In cooperation with NIFA's Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program (WRASAP) and the University of Hawaii Manoa, the regional workshop "Malaya the Farmer: Caring for Yourself and Each Other" was held in Hilo, HI, on October 17-18, 2023. There were 67 attendees from 8 states and Guam. The seven workshop sessions focusing on AgrAbility, WRASAP, behavioral health resources, ergonomic safety in ag, diversity in ag, and business planning. Fifty-five people attended the tours which included coffee production, a winery which also grew tea and olives, a third-generation floral production, and a veteran-run farm. NAP also held a workshop in Ann Arbor, MI, on July 16-18, 2024, focused on assistive technology, worksite assessments, and the RESNA Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification exam. 1.a.5 RESNA ATP Training (new objective) The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) administers the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification designed to ensure competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities, assisting in the selection of appropriate assistive technology, and providing training in the use of the selected devices. This certification has proven valuable to AgrAbility staff members, so NAP covered the cost of five AgrAbility staff members to take the RESNA AT Fundamentals Course online to help prepare them for the ATP exam. They completed the course, and one SRAP staff member has successfully been certified as an ATP thus far. NAP also secured RESNA CEUs for the July 2024 regional workshop. 1.b.1 Monthly Zoom sessions. Since the previous annual report, eight monthly Zoom sessions have been held. The format for these has focused on group discussion (as opposed to webinar-type presentations), and topics have included financial sustainability, worksite assessments, becoming an ATP, the "internet of things" for agriculture, outreach to Extension, outreach to VR, educating legislators, and AT expos. Sessions were recorded and archived on www.agrability.org. 1.b.4 AgrAbility Webinar Series. In cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, NAP produced two webinars during the project year: "Farm Youth and Stress," and "Agricultural Stress, Resiliency, and Mental Wellness: A Nevada Case Study." In addition to the farm stress webinars, NAP also produced "FSA Farm Loans" in cooperation with FSA in Indiana. The average survey responses on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest: (1) quality of information = 4.45; (2) usability of technology = 4.63; (3) would attend another session = 4.51. 1.b.5 Virtual NTW. In addition to the webinars listed above, NAP continued the NTW Encore Webinar Series in 2023, which consisted of some of the most requested sessions from the in-person NTW. Topics included chronic pain, brain injury, SARE grants, tools for assessments, adaptive beekeeping, and veterans in agriculture. A total of 774 people registered for the series. For the six sessions. the average responses on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest: (1) quality of information = 4.45; (2) usability of technology = 4.62; (3) would attend another session = 4.63.?1.c.3: Enhanced worksite assessment tools and training resources. To better gauge SRAP needs, on September 6, 2023, NAP hosted the Zoom discussion "Worksite assessment tools: What are you using, and what is needed?" Nap also hosted a regional workshop in Ann Arbor, MI, on July 16-18, 2024, focused on worksite assessments, assistive technology and preparing for the RESNA Assistive Technology Professional exam. Sessions included assessment models, interview techniques, observations and reports, and assistive technology for farming. The group completed an assessment at a local farm to apply the classroom lessons. Classroom sessions were taped, as was a post-conference on-farm assessment example. 1.c.5 Farm stress resources. NAP produced the two webinars related to farm stress in cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, which have been archived on the www.agrability.org website. In addition, the 2024 NTW provided multiple sessions related to farm stress issues, and the regional workshop in Hawaii also had sessions on stress. The Latino Outreach Coordinator (LOC), who is a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer, co-led a MHFA pre-conference training day at the NTW. She also gave presentations related to stress issues among farmworkers at multiple events, including the NTW, the Midwest Farm Worker Stream Health Forum, and the AgriSafe National Farm Safety and Health Week webinar series. 2.a.1: Virtual office hours. Due to limited use, in August 2023, NAP transitioned Zoom virtual office hours from semimonthly to one hour on the first Wednesday of each month. Some months, there is no SRAP participation; however, at other times, SRAP and NAP staff members engage in lengthy discussions. 2.a.3 Quarterly virtual all-staff meetings. NAP hosted four virtual all-staff meetings since the last REEport. NIFA was invited to share at each of the meetings. Other features included updates on NAP events and initiatives plus presentations from SRAPs on their initiatives. 2.a.4 AgrAbility listserv. The AgrAbility staff listserv has continued to function as a valuable mechanism for NAP to share information with SRAPs and for SRAPs to ask questions about various aspects of their work with clients. NAP also maintains listservs for webinar registrants, friends of AgrAbility, county-level Extension staff members across the country, and others. 4.b.1 Marketing training sessions. Two sessions related to marketing and outreach for AgrAbility staff were presented at the 2024 NTW. 4.b.2 Marketing and Media Community of Interest.The Marketing and Media Community of Interest met twice virtually and once in-person at the NTW; a third virtual meeting is scheduled for July 2024. This group also helped to plan, and participated in, the 2023 Virtual State Fair.6.b: Sustainability training for SRAPs. Kent Schescke, a longtime member of the NAP Advisory Team, the former executive vice president and CEO of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), and former director of strategic partnerships for the National FFA Organization, presented the NTW session "How to Develop Financial Sustainability for Your Organization," and he repeated the presentation as the first session of the NTW Encore Webinar Series. He has also volunteered to lead a working group focused on helping SRAPs identify and obtain funding beyond their USDA grants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?2.b.4 Networking with underserved populations and related organizations.The Underserved Populations Outreach Coordinator (UPOC) engaged in significant networking with staff from Virginia State University through the workshop held at that institution. He and the Extension Outreach Coordinator (EOC) also participated in the National Black Farmers Association annual conference in Natchez, MS, in October. In addition to initial planning for a Native American-focused workshop in Colorado, UPOC helped arrange for the CO AgrAbility Project to speak and staff a booth at the First Americans Land-Grant Consortium (FALCON) conference in Denver, CO. The CO AgrAbility staff spoke with more than 80 individuals during that conference. UPOC participated in the national "Amish Handicap Gathering" in June 2024 in Arthur, IL, with roughly 500 Amish people in attendance. 2.b.3 Networking with Veterans and organizations serving them. The VOC continued working with the Veterans Administration on a partnership related to the VA Compensated Work Therapy program; NAP and the VA are continuing to work thru the approval of a related MOU. He also collaborated with the Department of Defense's SkillBridge Program to secure multiple internships for active-duty service personnel to engage in agriculture-related activities during their transition from military to civilian life. After serving on the board of directors of the Farmer Veteran Coalition since the inception of that group, NAP's Project Director (PD) resigned from that position at the end of 2023.2.b.1 Cooperative Extension Service. NAP exhibited at the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) in August 2023 in Des Moines, IA, and the 2024 version of that meeting in Dallas, TX, in July 2024. County Extension professionals have been invited to webinars produced by NAP and to the NTW and the regional workshops. As previously indicated, the 2023 AgrAbility Harvest newsletter went to every county Extension office for which NAP has an address.The Extension Outreach Coordinator is participating in the 2024 North Central National Extension Leadership Development (NELD) program as a representative of AgrAbility. This program provides the opportunity to network with and educate Extension professionals throughout the 12-state region about AgrAbility.2.b.2 Vocational rehabilitation (VR). Steve Etheridge continued to serve as NAP's VR consultant and provided guidance to multiple consumers, particularly in non-SRAP states, concerning the VR process. NAP complete an online training module, in cooperation with the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE), concerning VR and agriculture, which was based on NAP's previously published white paper on that topic.NAP sent a mailing to every VR state director publicizing the white paper and web module and included a copy of the AgrAbility 30-year summary publication. The Project Manager (PM) also gave presentations on VR and agriculture at the spring 2024 conference of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) in Bethesda, MD, in April 2024 and at the National Symposium on Quality Employment, sponsored by VRTAC-QE, in Madison, WI, in May 2024 along with Jeff Kratochwill of AgrAbility Wisconsin. 2.b.6 Latino/Latina farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers. The LOC conducted outreach to multiple organizations that assist farmworkers, including East Coast Migrant Head Start, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Great Lakes ADA Center, Texas Farm Worker Resilience Project, and Latina-Vida. She made presentations at the NTW, the National Center for Farmworker Health's Midwest Farm Worker Stream Conference in Albuquerque, NM, in April, the annual conference of the Associated Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) in October. 2.b.8 USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (new objective). NAP was asked to serve as a cooperator with USDA to assist in outreach and education about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DRAP). NAP's involvement began July 7, 2023, and continued throughout the rest of the calendar year. Activities included representing AgrAbility at twice weekly meetings with USDA staff, cooperators, and vendors, multiple AgrAbility outreach efforts about DFAP, including presentations at conferences and displays at expos, a special four-page DFAP insert in the 2023 AgrAbility Harvest newsletter, and multiple mass-emails to AgrAbility and Extension staffs. 2.b.7 Rehabilitation professionals.NAP collaborated with Florida AgrAbility, Texas AgrAbility, AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians, and LifeLyfts by Life Essentials to provide a display at the March 2024 annual conference of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in Orlando. RESNA chose to not have an in-person conference in 2024, but NAP networked extensively with that organization concerning the regional workshop in Ann Arbor, MI, which provided RESNA CEUs and membership for attendees.3.b.3 Assistance to organizations in non-AgrAbility states. NAP networked with a farm safety specialist at the University of Minnesota about the possibility of restarting AgrAbility in that state, and she eventually attended the NTW to learn more about the program. The Minnesota Council on Disability also contacted NAP about options for AgrAbility, and NAP connected that organization with the Extension farm safety specialist. NAP is also communicating with Extension in Wyoming about possibly submitting a proposal. The regional workshop in Hawaii provided significant assistance to consumers and professionals in that non-AgrAbility state. Several professionals from North Dakota, including USDA personnel, attended the NTW and expressed interest in having AgrAbility in their state. 4.a.2 Social media marketing. GFL continues to lead NAP's social media marketing efforts, with assistance from the PM, through posts on Facebook and X (Twitter). Since the last REEport was submitted, Facebook "followers" have grown from 2,589 to 2,892 currently, and X followers have grown from 1,106 to 1,114 currently. 4.a.3 AgrAbility Virtual State Fair (VSF). NAP continued to coordinate this month-long event in October 2023 that features a different AgrAbility project each weekday. A total of 16 funded SRAPs, 3 affiliates, and the NAP participated. Total Facebook "reach" was approximately 16,100 unique individuals (up from 8,100 in 2022), and total Twitter impressions was about 5,900 (down from 7,100 in 2022). 4.a.4 New AgrAbility videos. The 2022 NAP video "AgrAbility: Restoring Hope, Renewing Productivity with Laurie Hayn" was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in the 2024 Educational Aids Awards Competition. NAP is also exploring the conversion of some of its full-length videos into one-minute"shorts" or "reels" to expand the usefulness of existing resources. 4.a.5 AgrAbility 30-year summary. NAP printed the publication AgrAbility: 30 Years of Impact at the beginning of this project year and has been distributing it to key stakeholders, including SRAPs, customers, conference attendees, and legislators. It contains program history, descriptions of major initiatives, and 13 client success stories. It was also was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in the 2023 Educational Aids Awards Competition. 4.c.1 Events in the agriculture and rehabilitation communities.NAP staffed exhibits at the National FFA Convention, World Dairy Expo (in cooperation with AgrAbility of Wisconsin), Farm Progress Show, and National Farm Machinery Show. Staff from three SRAPs staffed the NAP display at the AOTA convention. The PM gave an AgrAbility presentation and staffed a display at the 2023 Amputee Coalition Annual Conference in Orlando. NAP also had the unique opportunity to host a display and reach out to a new audience at the 2023 Farm Aid Concert, which was held in Indiana, in its Homegrown Village. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for accomplishing goals are described in detail in the work plan and justification submitted to NIFA.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments in all areas are cited according to the objectives listed in the Work Plan. Due to space limitations, a few objectives (of more limited scope) were omitted. 1.a.3 Educational outreach to 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions.NAP held a two-day workshop at 1890 land-grant Virginia State University on July 9-10, 2024, in cooperation with the LIFE Project 2501 grant project. Topics included USDA programs, farm stress, assistive technology, and land succession, and approximately 50 people participated. NAP began planning for a regional workshop in Colorado focused on Native American populations; however, staff changes in Colorado preempted the planning process.1.a.4 Educational outreach to veterans. The Veteran Outreach Coordinator (VOC) presented at four Boots to Business farmer veteran educational events and a USDA beginning veteran farmer webinar. He participated in the Heroes to Hives conference to promote options for veterans interested in beekeeping. VOC coordinated a "veteran table" at the NTW for nonprofits to provide information specific to veteran programs across the nation as a "one stop shop" to see what is available and how to procure veterans' benefits. The NTW also included four presentations focused on veterans that are either involved in agriculture or desiring to be. 1.b.2 www.agrability.org website. For the 2023-24 project year, the website is averaging, according to WebLog Expert, the following statistics per quarter: visitor hits = 2,537,531; total page views = 762,851; and total visitors = 223,317. An upgraded AgrAbility Publication Database was added to the site that allows for access to publications produced not only by the NAP but also by the SRAPs. 1.b.3 The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database Online. The Toolbox currently contains 1,916 products/solutions to assist agricultural workers with disabilities, and it continues to be the most heavily visited section of the website. The Toolbox review committee continued to meet weekly to review new product additions and discuss other database issues. Since July 2023, 70 new products have been added. Discussions have also begun about upgrading The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database into a more user-friendly format. 1.c.1. AgrAbility Harvest newsletter. In addition to its standard content, the 2023 AgrAbility Harvest contained a special four-page insert concerning the USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. It was sent in printed form to a mailing list of approximately 4,400, including every county Extension office for which NAP had a mailing address. Each funded SRAP also received 100 complimentary copies. It was also produced in PDF and HTML formats, posted on the NAP website, and distributed to approximately 6,500 email addresses. 1.c.6 Other specialized technical resources. The AgrAbility Fact Sheet Working Group, composed of both NAP and SRAP staff members, has continued to function through virtual meetings. Efforts of this group resulted in the aforementioned AgrAbility Publication Database. The Latino Outreach Coordinator (LOC) continued work on outreach resources for farmworkers and farmworker service providers, and she recently translated the NAP publication Back on the Farm, Back in the Saddle into Spanish. NAP has been completing a Plowshares technical article on accessible farm shops that should be published later in 2024. 2.a.2 AgrAbility e-Note. NAP continued to publish the AgrAbility e-Note newsletter monthly to share information about AgrAbility activities and resources with SRAPs and other friends of AgrAbility. The vast majority of SRAPs (and the emerging AgrAbility for Africa organization) continue to provide news each month. 3.a.1 Web-based assistance. The www.agrability.org website continued to provide worldwide access to information, resources, and training opportunities to consumers and professionals, and product additions to The Toolbox AT Database also increased resource information for consumers. Numerous consumers participated in NAP webinars. 3.a.2 Toll-free helpline. Purdue staff responded to more than 240 calls on the helpline from consumers and organizations working with them. Referrals were made to SRAPs, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and other ap-propriate organizations, and other resources and information were provided. 3.a.3 Individual requests via email. Since mid-June 2023, NAP staff members responded to approximately 140 email requests for assistance from consumers and professionals that were submitted through the Contact Us form on www.agrability.org; many other email requests were addressed that were sent directly to individual staff members. Referrals were made, and resources were provided. 3.b.1 Pilot project: consultants for non-funded states. NAP worked with staff from AgrAbility of Wisconsin to provide a site assessment in July 2023 to a disabled veteran engaged in agriculture in Minnesota. NAP also engaged a consultant in Montana who has made multiple visits to consumers in that state. NAP participated in a Zoom discussion and multiple emails with a veteran in Vermont with a mobility impairment who needed assistance with access to his poultry operation and his off-farm job. 3.b.2 Direct assistance through educational events. NAP, using funds gathered from non-USDA sources, gave 2024 NTW travel stipends to 54 people, including 37 farmers and 17 caregivers. Thirty-nine of those had never attended an NTW before, while 15 were past attendees. From observation, a significant amount of peer support and networking occurred among those attending. Clients also participated in the regional workshops. 5.a.1 AgrAbility impact evaluation. Dr. Robert Fetsch continued to lead the AgrAbility Evaluation Committee (AEC) and its efforts to measure AgrAbility's impact through quality of life assessments. The AEC met virtually four times since July 2023 and once in-person at the NTW. The NAP quality of life study currently includes data from 17 current and former SRAPs. 5.a.2 Annual Staff Needs Assessment (ASNA). Dr. Brian French surveyed SRAP staff members using the ASNA assessment instrument and reported findings to NAP, SRAPs, and USDA. Overall, SRAPs continued to rate NAP services and resources highly. NAP expanded incentives for SRAP staff member to complete the ASNA, including a free NTW registration, and the response rate increased significantly. 5.a.3 SRAP demographic data reporting. NAP published the demographic data summary for the 2021-22 project year, which indicated a total of 1,446 AgrAbility clients nationwide, and increase from 1,361 clients reported in 2020-21. NAP is working on the 2022-23 report.

Publications

Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and other agricultural workers impacted by disabilities. Farm family members, caregivers, and others impacted by disabilities. Professionals serving the aforementioned audiences. Underserved subcategories include Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, staff members and clientele from 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions, veterans with disabilities interested in agriculture, and agricultural workers in Amish/Old Order Anabaptist communities. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1.a.1 AgrAbility National Training Workshop (NTW). Spokane, Washington, was chosen as the site for the 2023 NTW, which was planned in conjunction with and supported by NIFA's Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program (WRASAP). Planning meetings were held monthly, and the event was promoted nationally and internationally. The NTW took place March 20-24 and was attended by 246 people. There were general sessions, approximately 40 breakout sessions, lunch and dinner keynote speakers, and three tours on March 24. A Mental Health First Aid training was held on March 20, and there were several sessions that pertained to rural mental health. An evaluation survey was responded to by 105 people, and most strongly agreed or agree that the NTW's goals were met. 1.a.2 AgrAbility regional workshops. In cooperation with WRASAP and the University of Nevada-Reno, a regional workshop was held in Reno on November 29 - December 1. There were 21 attendees from 7 states and U.S. territories. The seven workshop sessions focusing on behavioral health, worksite assessment, WRASAP activities, AT resources, and cultural humility. Tours of agriculture-related facilities were conducted on December 1. NAP also collaborated with the Veterans IN Farming organization to host a regional workshop focused on veterans in agriculture, which took place in Indianapolis on June 6-8, 2023. Fifty-one people attended, including 22 veterans. The nine sessions covering the following topics: AgrAbility, veteran resources and benefits, mental health, business planning, food safety, land access and estate planning, AT and farming with a disability, and marketing. Twenty-three people attended the tours of veteran-run agricultural enterprises on June 8. 1.b.1 Monthly Zoom sessions. During the current project year, nine monthly Zoom sessions have been held. The format for these has focused on group discussion (as opposed to webinar-type presentations), and topics have included osteoarthritis, NRCS resources, AT Act Programs, safety during farm visits, crowdfunding, marketing and media, veterans, "taking away the keys" from aging farmers, and farmworker mental health. Sessions were recorded and archived on www.agrability.org.1.b.4 AgrAbility Webinar Series. In cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, NAP produced four webinars during the project year: "Convivencia y conversación: Tools for reducing stress and fostering emotional well-being among Latino farmworkers," "Corn, Cattle, and a Flask of Whiskey: Understanding stress and substance use in agricultural and rural populations," "Let's Talk about Rural Caregiving and Mental Health: Everyone needs to be included in the conversation," and "An Overview of Native American Behavioral Health Issues." In addition to the farm stress webinars, NAP also produced "The Importance of Regenerative-Organic Agriculture Practices," webinar in collaboration with The LIFE Project - USDA 2501 grant project. The average survey responses on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest: (1) quality of information = 4.32; (2) usability of technology = 4.45; (3) would attend another session = 4.49. 1.b.5 Virtual NTW. In addition to the webinars listed above, NAP launched the NTW Encore Webinars in 2022, which consist of some of the most requested sessions from the in-person NTW. They were held every other week from June 23 - October 27, 2022. Topics included AT design, taking care of all generations on the farm, behavioral health, the Farm Rescue program, vision solutions for farmers, working with capstone students, outreach events, regenerative agriculture, and low stress marketing. For the 10 sessions. the average responses on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest: (1) quality of information = 4.50; (2) usability of technology = 4.71; (3) would attend another session = 4.71. 1.c.3: Enhanced worksite assessment tools and training resources. The revised version of Conducting Agricultural Worksite Assessments, completed in 2021, has continued to be distributed to SRAPs requesting it. Preliminary plans are being formulated for recording several short videos related to conducting worksite assessments. At the NTW, more than 35 participants were trained is use of the assessment tool. 2.a.1: Virtual office hours. In May 2022, NAP began holding Zoom virtual office hours for one hour on the first and third Wednesday of each month. So far, the response from SRAPs has been limited, though some valuable interactions have transpired. 2.a.3 Quarterly virtual all-staff meetings. NAP hosted three virtual all-staff meetings during the project year, and a fourth is scheduled for July 2023. NIFA was invited to share at each of the meetings. Other features included updates on NAP events and initiatives plus presentations from SRAPs on their initiatives. 2.a.4 AgrAbility listserv. The AgrAbility staff listserv has continued to function as a valuable mechanism for NAP to share information with SRAPs and for SRAPs to ask questions about various aspects of their work with clients. NAP also maintains listservs for webinar registrants, friends of AgrAbility, county-level Extension staff members across the country, and others. 4.b.1 Marketing training sessions. One session on marketing for AgrAbility staff and another for AgrAbility clients was presented at the 2022 NTW. 4.b.2 Marketing and Media Community of Interest. The Marketing and Media Community of Interest met twice virtually and once in-person at the NTW; a third virtual meeting is scheduled for July 2023. This group also helped to plan, and participated in, the 2022 Virtual State Fair. Objective 6.b: Sustainability training for SRAPs.GFL led a sustainability session at the 2023 NTW focused on "Maintaining Program Impact Beyond Funding Cycles." GFL is also scheduled to a Zoom discussion on sustainability in July 2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1.a.3 Educational outreach to 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions. NAP conducted a September 2022 New Mexico regional workshop in cooperation with the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (a 1994 land-grant) and WRASAP. A total of 69 people participated representing at least 29 different agencies from 5 different states. Thirty-four participants were farmers or ranchers. In addition, NAP, in conjunction with its partners in the LIFE Project (a USDA 2501 grant), have planned an 1890 workshop to be held at South Carolina State University on July 13-14, 2023. 2.b.4 Networking with underserved populations and related organizations. UPOC engaged in significant networking with staff from the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute and from South Carolina State University through the workshops held at those institutions. He and the EOC also participated in the National Black Farmers Association annual conference in McComb, MS, in November and provided a presentation on AgrAbility. UPOC attended the national Extension conference, "Connecting with Amish and Other Plain Communities," in Shipshewana, IN, in November and worked with Ohio AgrAbility to coordinate an AgrAbility presence and have a display at the national "Amish Handicap Gathering" in June 2023 in Ohio. 1.a.4 Educational outreach to veterans. The VOC gave a presentation on farm safety and staffed a display at the 2022 Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) Stakeholders Conference in November. He also collaborated with the Indiana FVC Chapter to conduct several webinars to educate veterans on topics that included the USDA AgVet program, food safety, and NRCS Opportunities. He participated in the HiveLife Beekeeping Conference to promote options for veterans interested in this subject. Nearly 50 veterans participated in the 2023 NTW where they received information and training on such topics as building a business plan and resources available through USDA, nonprofits, and SARE. 1.c.2. Veterans' resources. The VOC published ten YouTube videos recorded from community of interest meetings for veterans on such topics as business planning, accessible beekeeping, and NRCS. He also co-founded a community of interest related to beekeeping for veterans. In 2023, NAP published nine "What AgrAbility Means to Me" video testimonials from AgrAbility clients who are veterans with disabilities. 2.b.3 Networking with Veterans and organizations serving them. The VOC has worked with the Veterans Administration on a partnership related to the VA Compensated Work Therapy program; NAP and the VA are currently working thru the approval of a related MOU. The VOC also worked with the Northeast Organic Food Association, which is planning to use their nonprofit to assist veterans to begin farming in New Jersey and the Northeast. The new Veteran Community of Interest provides the opportunity for veteran-related organizations to discuss their projects and leverage synergies to expand opportunities across the country. Opportunities already discussed include virtual training programs, nonprofits working with the VA, and funding options. NAP's PD continues to serve on FVC's board of directors. 2.b.1 Cooperative Extension Service. NAP is scheduled to exhibit at the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) in August 2023 in Des Moines, IA. The PM also gave a presentation and staffed a display at the 2023 International Master Gardeners Conference in Kansas City in June 2023. County Extension professionals have been invited to webinars produced by NAP and to the NTW and the regional workshops. 2.b.2 Vocational rehabilitation (VR). Steve Etheridge has continued to serve as NAP's VR consultant and has provided guidance to multiple consumers, particularly in non-SRAP states, concerning the VR process. NAP is also in the process of producing a training module, in cooperation with the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE), concerning VR and agriculture based on NAP's white paper on that topic. 2.b.6 Latino/Latina farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers. The LOC conducted outreach to multiple organizations that assist farmworkers, including Proteus, Emergence Health Network, the Great Lakes and Southeast ADA Centers, Latina Institute, and Esperanza United. She made presentations at the NTW and at the National Center for Farmworker Health's Midwest Farm Worker Stream Conference in Austin, TX, in March and at the East Coast Migrant Health Stream Forum in Orlando, FL, in April. She also gave virtual presentations for the annual conference of the Associated Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) in October and the AgriStress Network Mental Health Innovation in May. LOC also engaged in outreach with East Coast Migrant Head Start, the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the American Latino Veterans Association, among other groups. 2.b.7 Rehabilitation professionals. NAP collaborated with Missouri AgrAbility, Colorado AgrAbility, and LifeLyfts by Life Essentials to provide a display at the 2023 annual conference of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in Kansas City. Life Essentials displayed an accessible tractor that attracted much attention, and the participating AgrAbility staff members indicated that significant outreach was achieved. The RESNA conference is returning to in-person format in 2023, but because of cost and other factors, NAP is choosing not to participate this year. 3.b.3 Assistance to organizations in non-AgrAbility states. NAP provided assistance through email and phone conferences to organizations and individuals in non-SRAP states, such as Hawaii, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, about providing AgrAbility-related services. NAP provided funding for a consultant to give a presentation on AgrAbility at an inaugural conference related to disability in agriculture in Connecticut. The director of the Connecticut effort was later provided a travel stipend to attend the 2023 NTW. 4.a.2 Social media marketing. GFL continues to lead NAP's social media marketing efforts, with assistance from the PM, through posts on Facebook and Twitter. Since the end of July 2022 when the last REEport was submitted, Facebook "followers" have grown from 2,423 to 2,589 currently, and Twitter followers have grown from 1,080 to 1,106 currently. 4.a.3 AgrAbility Virtual State Fair (VSF). NAP continued to coordinate this month-long event in October 2022 that features a different AgrAbility project each day plus special topics, like assistive technology, on weekends. A total of 14 funded SRAPs, 2 affiliates, and the NAP participated. Total Facebook "reach" was approximately 8,100 unique individuals, and total Twitter impressions was about 7,100. 4.c.1 Events in the agriculture and rehabilitation communities. NAP staffed exhibits at the National FFA Convention, World Dairy Expo (in cooperation with AgrAbility of Wisconsin), Farm Progress Show, and National Farm Machinery Show. Staff from Missouri AgrAbility and Colorado AgrAbility staffed the NAP display at the aforementioned AOTA convention. NAP also provided an overview of AgrAbility for the Bayer Corporation lunch and learn webinar in November 2022. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for accomplishing goals are described in detail in the work plan and justification submitted to NIFA.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments in all areas are cited according to the objectives listed in the Work Plan. Due to space limitations, a few objectives (of more limited scope) were omitted. 1.b.2 www.agrability.org website. The upgraded www.agrability.org website was launched in July 2022. It offers improved navigation and visual design, plus new features that include an AgrAbility publication database and expanded resources for people in non-SRAP states. For the 2022-23 project year, the website is averaging the following statistics per quarter: visitor hits = 1,585,174; total page views = 492,528; and total visitors = 111,856. The website is also scheduled to receive a Blue Ribbon Award in the Educational Aides Competition sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers at its 2023 annual meeting. 1.b.3 The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database Online. The Toolbox currently contains 1,846 products/solutions to assist agricultural workers with disabilities, and it continues to be the most heavily visited section of the website, apart from the home page. The Toolbox review committee continued to meet weekly to review new product additions and discuss other database issues. Since July 2022, 86 new products have been added. 1.c.1. AgrAbility Harvest newsletter. The 2022 AgrAbility Harvest was published and sent in printed format to NAP's standard mailing list of approximately 1,250. Each funded SRAP also received 100 complimentary copies. It was produced in PDF and HTML formats, posted on the NAP website, and distributed to approximately 6,500 email addresses. 1.c.4 Arthritis-related resources. OAAA and NAP continued to discuss the development of a curriculum focused on preventing arthritis among agricultural youth. OAAA also provided a session at the 2023 NTW on pain management and led a monthly Zoom discussion on arthritis in agriculture. 1.c.5 Farm stress resources. NAP produced the four aforementioned webinars related to farm stress in cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, which have been archived on the www.agrability.org website. In addition, the 2023 NTW provided multiple sessions related to farm stress issues, and the regional workshops in Reno, NV, and Albuquerque, NM, also had sessions on stress. The Latino Outreach Coordinator (LOC), who is a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer, conducted two virtual MHFA trainings with national farmworker service providers in an effort to increase access to support for mental health disabilities in farmworker communities. She also co-led a MHFA pre-conference training day at the NTW. 1.c.6 Other specialized technical resources. The AgrAbility Fact Sheet Working Group, composed of both NAP and SRAP staff members, has continued to function through bimonthly virtual meetings. With assistance from NAP, staff members from the Colorado AgrAbility Project have produced a publication on staff safety during farm visits. The team led a monthly Zoom discussion and an NTW session on this topic in preparation for finalizing the publication, which is scheduled to be posted on the NAP website. The LOC continued to meet with farmworker fact sheet working group, which consists of outreach workers from the CA, TX, and MI SRAPs. They created an outline and met several times to share documents and resources. The LOC continued work on outreach resources for farmworkers and farmworker service providers. One resource is focused on educating farm workers about the physical impact of stress of health/mental health, and the second resource is focused on educating service providers about culturally affirming approaches in serving farm worker populations. 2.a.2 AgrAbility e-Note. NAP continued to published the AgrAbility e-Note on a monthly basis to share information about AgrAbility activities and resources with SRAPs and other friends of AgrAbility. The vast majority of SRAPs (and the emerging AgrAbility for Africa organization) continue to provide news each month. 3.a.1 Web-based assistance. The www.agrability.org website was upgraded significantly, and product additions to The Toolbox AT Database also increased resource information for consumers. Numerous consumers participated in NAP webinars. From contacts received from the AgrAbility website, the VOC estimates that he conducted over 40 hours of one-on-one counseling with veterans on farming issues. 3.a.2 Toll-free helpline. Purdue staff responded to more than 240 calls on the helpline from consumers and organizations working with them. Referrals were made to SRAPs, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and other appropriate organizations, and other resources and information were provided. 3. a.3 Individual requests via email. Since the end of July 2022, NAP staff members responded to approximately 120 email requests for assistance from consumers and professionals that were submitted through the Contact Us form on www.agrability.org; many other email requests were addressed that were sent directly to individual staff members. Referrals were made, and resources were provided. 3.b.1 Pilot project: consultants for non-funded states. NAP continued working with a VR case in Maryland for which it had previously engaged a consultant to provide a site visit and formulate a report. The NAP VR consultant provided consultation to a farmer in West Virginia by phone. NAP has also engaged staff from AgrAbility of Wisconsin to provide a site assessment in July 2023 to a disabled veteran engaged in agriculture in Minnesota. 3.b.2 Direct assistance through educational events. The NAP, using funds gathered from non-USDA sources, gave 2023 NTW travel stipends to 34 people, only 17 of which had attended a previous NTW. From observation, a significant amount of peer support and networking occurred among those attending. Clients also participated in the regional workshops. 4.a.4 New AgrAbility videos. In December 2022, NAP released two videos: "AgrAbility: Restoring Hope, Renewing Productivity with Laurie Hayn" and "Steve Swain: Rural Rehabilitation." A NAP video released in November 2021, "Ned Stoller: Agricultural Assistive Technology," was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in the 2023 Educational Aids Awards Competition. 4.a.5 AgrAbility 30-year summary. NAP printed the publication AgrAbility: 30 Years of Impact at the beginning of this project year and has been distributing it to key stakeholders, including SRAPs, customers, conference attendees, and legislators. It contains program history, descriptions of major initiatives, and 13 client success stories. It was also was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in the 2023 Educational Aids Awards Competition. 5.a.1 AgrAbility impact evaluation. Dr. Robert Fetsch continued to lead the AgrAbility Evaluation Committee (AEC) and its efforts to measure AgrAbility's impact through quality of life assessments. The AEC met virtually four times since July 2023 and once in-person at the NTW. The NAP quality of life study currently includes data from 17 current and former SRAPs. 5.a.2 Annual Staff Needs Assessment (ASNA). Dr. Brian French surveyed SRAP staff members using the ASNA assessment instrument and reported findings to NAP, SRAPs, and USDA. Overall, SRAPs continued to rate NAP services and resources highly. 5.a.3 SRAP demographic data reporting. NAP has collected demographic data reports from all SRAPs is working on the report for the 2021-22 project year. Objective 6.b: Sustainability training for SRAPs. GFL led a sustainability session at the 2023 NTW focused on "Maintaining Program Impact Beyond Funding Cycles." GFL is also scheduled to a Zoom discussion on sustainability in July 2023.

Publications

Progress 08/01/21 to 07/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and other agricultural workers impacted by disabilities. Farm family members, caregivers, and others impacted by disabilities. Professionals serving the aforementioned audiences. Underserved subcategories include Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers, staff members and clientele from 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions, veterans with disabilities interested in agriculture, and agricultural workers in Amish/Old Order Anabaptist communities. Changes/Problems:Cindy Chastain retired as veteran outreach coordinator in July 2022 and is being replaced by Joe Ricker, a beginning farmer and 30-year Army veteran. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1.a.1 AgrAbility National Training Workshop (NTW). The 2021 AgrAbility NTW Virtual Sessions - held because the 2021 in-person NTW could not be conducted - continued with the final weekly session held on August 31st, 2021. A total of 31 sessions were held, and there were 967 unique registrants and an average attendance of 70 participants per session. The Wisconsin AgrAbility team agreed to host the 2022 AgrAbility NTW, as they were scheduled to host the cancelled 2020 event. The event was held at the Madison Concourse Hotel on March 14-17, 2022. There were 196 attendees, 51 educational sessions, and multiple offsite tours. Conference evaluations showed that more than 90% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the event met its education and networking objectives. 1.a.2 AgrAbility regional workshops. In collaboration with the Western FRSAN program, the Montana Regional AgrAbility Workshop was held in Billings, Montana on August 9-11, 2021. There were 62 attendees, 11 conference sessions, and 2 tours. In collaboration with Kansas AgrAbility and Kansas VR, a regional event was held in Manhattan, KS, on November 16-18, 2021. Forty people attended the event, representing the states of Florida, Kansas, New York, and Ohio and the country of Denmark. A regional training workshop was held in Columbus, Ohio on June 28-30, 2022. Thirty-eight individuals representing the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania took part in the event. For all regional events, the first day comprised classroom sessions, and the second day was dedicated to agricultural tours. 1.a.5 Opioid misuse prevention. AgriSafe presented "Safety Sensitivity of Opioid Use in Agriculture" at the 2022 NTW. It also providedNAP a link to its on-demand, online training modules on opioid misuse prevention: "Talking to Farmers About Pain," "Assessment of Opioid Misuse Risk Among Farmers," "Safety-Sensitivity of Opioid Use in Agriculture," and "Using Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose." NAP has put this on its website in the Farm Stress and Mental/Behavioral Health section. 1.b.1 Monthly Zoom sessions. Thus far, seven monthly Zoom sessions have been held covering the following topics: marketing & media, migrant/seasonal farmworkers, expanding outreach to non-SRAP states, beekeeping, funding for assistive technology, occupational therapists in agriculture, and finding qualified vendors of assistive technology. Attendance has averaged around 30 people for each of these information discussions, and feedback has been positive. 1.b.4 AgrAbility Webinar Series. In cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, NAP produced four webinars during the year: "Migrant/Seasonal Farmworkers: Stress Issues and Solutions," "Strategies for Preventing Farm/Ranch Suicides and for Assisting Those Left Behind," "Tensions of Farm Succession," and "Veterans, Agriculture, and Stress." The average attendance was 114, and the average survey responses on a scale from 1-5 with 5 being the highest: (1) quality of information = 4.36; (2) usability of technology = 4.54; (3) would attend another session = 4.44. 1.b.5 Virtual NTW. The Virtual NTW had traditionally been a three-day event with two webinars each day. However, based on the success of the 2021 NTW Virtual Sessions, it was determined that the format would be changed. Therefore, in 2022, NAP launched the NTW Encore Webinars, which consist of 10 of the most requested sessions from the 2022 in-person NTW. They are being held every other week from July 23 - October 27, 2022. For the two sessions held to date, average attendance has been approximately 45, and evaluation ratings have been high. 1.c.3: Enhanced worksite assessment tools and training resources. The revised version of Conducting Agricultural Worksite Assessments, completed in 2021, has continued to be distributed to SRAPs requesting it. Preliminary plans are being formulated for recording several short videos related to conducting worksite assessments. At the NTW, 28 participants were trained in use of the assessment tool. A discussion of an electronic worksite assessment tool has been targeted as a potential monthly Zoom session topic. 2.a.1: Virtual office hours. In May 2022, NAP began holding Zoom virtual office hours for one hour on the first and third Wednesday of each month. So far, the response from SRAPs has been limited, though some valuable interactions have transpired. 2.a.3 Quarterly virtual all-staff meetings. NAP hosted four virtual all-staff meetings during the project year. NIFA was invited to share at each of the meetings. Other features included updates on NAP events and initiatives plus presentations from SRAPs on their initiatives or from external organizations like Farm Rescue. 2.a.4 AgrAbility listserv. The AgrAbility staff listserv has continued to function as a valuable mechanism for NAP to share information with SRAPs and for SRAPs to ask questions about various aspects of their work with clients. NAP also maintains listservs for webinar registrants, friends of AgrAbility, county-level Extension staff members across the country, and others, including the aforementioned listserv for the rehabilitation community of interest. 4.b.1 Marketing training sessions. One session on marketing for AgrAbility staff and another for AgrAbility clients was presented at the 2022 NTW. 4.b.2 Marketing and Media Community of Interest. The Marketing and Media Community of Interest met three times virtually and once in-person at the NTW. This group also helped to plan, and participated in, the 2021 Virtual State Fair. Objective 6.b: Sustainability training for SRAPs. Goodwill of the Finger Lakes (GFL) led a sustainability session at the NTW focused on exploring and sharing ideas for fundraising, grant opportunities, maintaining and expanding government funding, and more. GFL also led a Zoom discussion on finding financing for assistive technology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1.a.3 Educational outreach to 1890 and 1994 land-grant institutions. NAP conducted an 1890 land-grant workshop at Florida A&M in August 2021 in cooperation with the LIFE Project 2501 grant initiative and FAMU. The workshop featured speakers from more than 20 organizations and was attended by 46 adults. In addition, the NAP and LIFE Project participated in a high school youth outreach, sharing AgrAbility/LIFE Project with 97 students who came to the FAMU campus for the special event. NAP, in conjunction with its partners in the LIFE Project 2501 grant, held another 1890 workshop at Tennessee State University on June 7-8, 2021, with 67 attendees, including the speakers and exhibitors. This was an attendance record for AgrAbility 1890 workshops held since 2014. 2.b.4 Networking with underserved populations and related organizations. TheUnderserved Populations Outreach Coordinator (UPOC) engaged in significant networking with staff from FAMU and Tennessee State University through the workshops held at those institutions. He reached out to all seven 1994 Native American land-grant institutions in Montana concerning the August 2021 AgrAbility workshop there. NAP and AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians partnered on a display at the national "Amish Handicap Gathering" that took place in June 2022 outside of Ephrata, PA. The Project Director (PD)gave a breakout session on AgrAbility at "The Amish and Their Neighbors: A Multidisciplinary Conference" in Elizabethtown, PA in June 2022.1.a.4 Educational outreach to veterans. Specific veteran education was included in the August 2021 Montana regional workshops. On November 11, the Veteran Outreach Coordinator (VOC)presented for the virtual Midwest Rural Safety and Health (MRASH) Conference. On November 16, VOC and Project Manager (PM) presented for a Great Lakes ADA Center webinar on veteran with disabilities in agriculture. At the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) Stakeholders Conference, VOC attended and presented at plenary session. For the NTW, NAP selected presenters and planned for a veteran-specific track of training: seven veteran-related sessions, including a panel discussion with four farmer veterans (from four different SRAP states). 1.c.2. Veterans' resources. The web page for veterans was reviewed, and links were updated. NAP published in September 2022 a new rack card describing AgrAbility services to veterans. An additional 500 copies of the video The Next Mission were replicated on USB drives and distributed. The proposed video featuring Davin Goodwin was postponed mainly because he has already been featured in several videos by other organizations; however, he was selected to be the keynote speaker at the 2022 NTW. 2.b.3 Networking with Veterans and organizations serving them. NAP has developed a strong relationship with the new executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC). She participated in the 2021 NAP Advisory Team meeting in Indiana and made a visit to Purdue, presented during one of the 2021 NTW virtual sessions, attended the regional workshop in Montana, and presented at the 2022 NTW. The VOC has been able to provide guidance to FVC on working with their chapters, and the PD continues to serve on the FVC board of directors. 2.b.1 Cooperative Extension Service. NAP is scheduled to exhibit at the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) in July 2022. As previously mentioned, approximately 3,150 county Extension offices around the country were sent the 2021 AgrAbility Harvest newsletter. County Extension professionals have been invited to the farm stress webinars produced by NAP and in the NTW. 2.b.2 Vocational rehabilitation (VR). Steve Etheridge has continued to serve as NAP's VR consultant and has provided guidance to multiple consumers, particularly in non-SRAP states, concerning the VR process. NAP also established a relationship with Maryland VR to provide an on-farm assessment to one of its clients. The VR working group has been in communication with the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) about a module concerning VR and agriculture based on NAP's white paper on that topic. 2.b.6 Latino/Latina farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers. The new Latino Outreach Coordinator (LOC), Kimber Nicoletti-Martínez, conducted significant outreach to SRAP staff members and organizations like Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Proteus, and Una Mano, Una Esperanza. She led a monthly Zoom discussion on farmworkers and made a presentation, along with a California AgrAbility staff member, at the National Center on Farm Worker Health's Midwest Farm Worker Stream Conference in Austin, TX, in March. They also staffed a display at that event in cooperation with Texas AgrAbility. 2.b.7 Rehabilitation professionals. NAP collaborated with Texas AgrAbility to provide a display at the 2022 annual conference of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The annual conference of RESNA was again virtual this year, so NAP chose not to participate. Dr. Carla Wilhite hosted a monthly Zoom discussion on OTs in agriculture and formed a community of interest related to that topic.The PD gave a presentation at an international spinal cord injury conference in Stockholm, Sweden in 2022.3.b.3 Assistance to organizations in non-AgrAbility states. NAP provided assistance through email and phone conferences to organizations in non-SRAP states, such as Florida, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Iowa about providing AgrAbility-related services. In many cases, those organizations were exploring the option of applying for a USDA AgrAbility grant. 4.a.2 Social media marketing. GFL led the social media marketing efforts, with assistance from the PM, with posts on Facebook and Twitter multiple times per week. Since 12/15/21 when the last REEport was submitted, Facebook "likes" have grown from 1,922 to 2,052 currently, and "followers" have grown from 2,071 in 2020 to 2,423 currently. Twitter followers have grown from 1,040 to 1,080 currently. 4.a.3 AgrAbility Virtual State Fair (VSF). NAP continued to coordinate this month-long event in October 2021 that featured a different AgrAbility project each day plus special topics, like assistive technology, on weekends. A total of 19 funded SRAPs and 1 affiliate participated. Total Facebook "reach" was 32,167 unique individuals, and total Twitter impressions was 39,565. The VSF was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in its 2022 Educational Aids Awards Competition in the Extension Methods category. 4.a.4 New AgrAbility videos. In November 2021, NAP released three videos, all of which were shot in cooperation with Michigan AgrAbility in June 2021: AgrAbility: Restoring Hope, Renewing Productivity with Doug VerHoeven; Ned Stoller: Agricultural Assistive Technology; and What AgrAbility Means to Me: Aaron Fenrich. The video about VerHoeven was awarded an ASABE Blue Ribbon in its 2022 Educational Aids Awards Competition. 4.a.5 AgrAbility 30-year summary. NAP produced the publication, AgrAbility: 30 Years of Impact, which was distributed in PDF in June 2022 and is currently being printed. It contains program history, descriptions of major initiatives, and 13 client success stories. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for accomplishing goals are described in detail in the work plan and justification submitted to NIFA.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments in all areas are cited according to the objectives listed in the Work Plan. Due to space limitations, a few objectives (of more limited scope) were omitted. 1.b.2 www.agrability.org website.The National AgrAbility Project (NAP) began an extensive upgrade of the agrability.org website in 2021, and the new site was relaunched in July 2022. It offers improved navigation and visual design, plus new features that include expanded resources for people in non-SRAP (State/Regional AgrAbility Project) states and an AgrAbility publication data-base that contains links to publications produced by AgrAbility projects around the country - not merely those from the National AgrAbility Project. In addition to internal reviews, NAP recruited SRAP staff members to preview the site, and their comments were positive. For the project year, the website is averaging the following statistics per quarter: visitor hits = 1,448,813; total page views = 511,242; total visitors = 102,236; total unique IP addresses = 36,583. 1.b.3 The Toolbox Assistive Technology Database Online. The Toolbox continues to be the most heavily visited section of the website, apart from the home page. The Toolbox review committee continued to meet weekly to review new prod-uct additions and discuss other database issues. During the year, 80 new products have been added. 1.c.1. AgrAbility Harvest newsletter. The 2021 AgrAbility Harvest was published in August and sent to NAP's standard mailing list of approximately 1,250 plus approximately 3,150 county Extension offices around the country. Each funded SRAP also received 100 complimentary copies. It was produced in PDF and HTML formats, posted on the NAP website, and distributed to approximately 570 email addresses. 1.c.4 Arthritis-related resources.Osteoarthritis Action Alliance(OAAA) and NAP determined that it was not necessary to conduct a formal survey to explore the educational needs of individuals in the agricultural community relative to the prevention and management of osteoarthritis, as originally described in the proposal. Therefore, discussions have been held concerning a curriculum focused on preventing arthritis among agricultural youth. OAAA has developed a draft web page related to arthritis in agriculture and has engaged in social media posts on the topic.1.c.5 Farm stress resources.NAP produced the four aforementioned webinars related to farm stress in cooperation with the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center. In addition, NAP's PM has collaborated with the Western FRSAN project to assist with development of its website. NAP's LOC was certified as a Mental Health First Aid trainer and is working to provide stress-related assistance to migrant/seasonal farmworkers.1.c.6 Other specialized technical resources. The AgrAbility Fact Sheet Working Group, composed of both NAP and SRAP staff members, has continued to function and has produced three new publications. NAP posted the AgrAbility Publication Database on its upgraded website, which contains links to publications produced by AgrAbility projects around the country - not merely those from the National AgrAbility Project. More than 150 publications are currently listed in the database. NAP consultant Carla Wilhite formed a community of interest for rehabilitation professionals, like occupational therapists and physical therapists, and one outcome of this group is the consolidation of agriculture-related training materials for such professionals. Kimber Nicoletti-Martínezhas been working on a brochure that can be used by all AgrAbility professionals for outreach to Spanish-speaking farmworkers. 2.a.2 AgrAbility e-Note. NAP continued to published the AgrAbility e-Note on a monthly basis to share information about AgrAbility activities and resources with SRAPs and other friends of AgrAbility. The vast majority of SRAPs continue to provide news each month. 3.a.1 Web-based assistance. The www.agrability.org website was upgraded significantly, including the addition of lists of assistive organizations in states without SRAPs (i.e., "roadmap to services"), and product additions to The Toolbox AT Database also increased resource information for consumers. Numerous consumers participated in NAP webinars. 3.a.2 Toll-free helpline. Purdue staff responded to more than 250 calls on the helpline from consumers and organizations working with them. Referrals were made to SRAPs and other appropriate organizations, and other resources and information were provided. 3.a.3 Individual requests via email. NAP staff members responded to approximately 350 email requests for assistance from consumers and professionals. Referrals were made, and resources were provided. 3.b.1 Pilot project: consultants for non-funded states. NAP hosted a Zoom discussion on the use of consultants in non-SRAP states, and there was significant interest from SRAP and non-SRAP participants. NAP ultimately engaged a consultant for a VR case in Maryland and is continuing to work with parties on that case. NAP staff also engaged in a Zoom consultation with a farmer in Kentucky and plans to continue using Zoom consultations when appropriate. 3.b.2 Direct assistance through educational events. The NAP, using funds gathered from non-USDA sources, gave 2022 NTW travel stipends to 32 people, only 13 of which had attended a previous NTW. From observation, a significant amount of peer support and networking occurred among those attending. Clients also participated in the regional workshops. 5.a.1 AgrAbility impact evaluation. Dr. Robert Fetsch continued to lead the AgrAbility Evaluation Committee (AEC) and its efforts to measure AgrAbility's impact through quality of life assessments. The AEC met virtually three times and once in-person at the NTW. 5.a.2 Annual Staff Needs Assessment (ASNA). Dr. Brian French surveyed SRAP staff members using the ASNA assessment instrument and reported findings to NAP, SRAPs, and USDA. Overall, SRAPs continued to rate NAP services and resources highly. 5.a.3 SRAP demographic data reporting. NAP published the 2020-2021 summary of SRAP demographic date in June 2022, and it showed a total of 1,361 clients based on the specified definition of "client." The staff is working on the report for 2021-22. A revised data collection tool was also distributed that provided clarity on several questions.

Publications