Progress 09/30/23 to 09/29/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The Clemson AgrAbility team continued to focus on military veterans this year. We teamed up once again with the South Carolina chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition to participate in their Farmers Bootcamp. This program allowed the Clemson team to introduce the details of AgrAbility, explain how it can assist veterans, and offer our support in any facet of agriculture. During the boot camp, the Clemson team also provided information on aquaculture and its use in farming under certain disability conditions. The Clemson AgrAbility team also participated in a farmers market program for disabled veterans at the South Carolina Veterans Hospital. This event allowed visiting veterans to engage in agricultural activities, learn about healthy eating, and receive information about AgrAbility and its opportunities for farmers. This year, the Clemson AgrAbility team was very active in educating youth about farm safety and AgrAbility. We welcomed a new team member who initially focused on farm safety but also helped promote AgrAbility during various events throughout the state. A unique group within the Clemson team introduced agriculture and AgrAbility to a ClemsonLIFE program housed at Clemson University. ClemsonLIFE is one of six Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs in South Carolina, providing education, training, and independent living skills to students with intellectual disabilities. Approximately 60 ClemsonLIFE students participated in an agricultural exploration event in partnership with SC AgrAbility this quarter. In the morning, students worked with AgrAbility team members and volunteers to construct raised beds, later planting them with tomato plants. Afterward, they rotated through various stations, learning about agriculture and exploring potential roles within the industry. They also participated in a trivia game to test their agricultural knowledge, with each student receiving a packet of seeds to grow at home. The event was enthusiastically received by the ClemsonLIFE team, who expressed keen interest in scheduling future events. Overall, the event was a tremendous success. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been multiple opportunities for training and professional development thus far. Again, the Agricultural Safety Program at Clemson University aims to increase awareness of agricultural safety procedures, maintenance operations, and safety operations for all ages and provide training resources for South Carolina farmers and rescue teams. Currently, the program offers at least four field days conducted and targeted at students aged 14 to 18 and one teacher in-service. A 30-minute station with the topic of "AgrAbility Awareness" was developed, which every participant must complete. This goal is to prevent injury and aid in options for those with disabilities, allowing continued work in the agricultural industry. 2023-2024, these field days were delivered to over 650 South Carolina students and 65 agricultural educators. The program was not limited to these events, and interest has exceeded initial expectations. Seven SC AgrAbility staff and partners were in attendance at the National Workshop. This included two staff members from Clemson Extension, two partners from South Carolina State University, two staff members from SC Vocational Rehabilitation Department, and one team member from Able South Carolina were in attendance. Able SC: Able SC's Director of Employment Programs focused attention on workshops such as Able SC focused on attending seminars such as Peas in a Pod: Similar but Different Models of Peer Support, Opioid Overdose Prevention and Response, Improving Vocational Outcomes for Persons with TBI, How Do We Get There From Here? Destigmatizing Disability Within the Farming Community, Cultivating a Peer and Mentorship Network in Your State, and Making the Case for Your Veteran-Owned Business. SC Vocational Rehabilitation (SCVR) Agency: SCVR focused on workshops for VR partners working with farmers with disabilities and the AgrAbility Project. The National AgrAbility Conference was a great networking experience. With this being VR's first time attending, the biggest takeaway from the conference was learning how several states have been involved and speaking with farmers with disabilities involved with the project. SC State University: SC State sent two SANRE Agents that attended workshops such as farming Like it's 2024, Equipment and Technologies for Disabled Farmers Overview of the Program to New Staff, Accessible Beekeeping: Improving Quality of Life Through Therapy and Assistive Technology, Exploring AgrAbility Quality of Life Profiles, Getting Down on the Farm: Assistive Devices for Physical and Mobility Impairments, Creating Reliable Plans for DIY Assistive Technology Disabled Farmer Adaptations to Diversified, and Tell Reaching New Heights and Expanding Audiences by Promoting AgrAbility How to Develop Financial Stability for Your Organization. Clemson Extension: Clemson Extension staff that attended the conference included a graduate student working on Combine-Cab accessibility features with a poster presented during the conference exhibit. Clemson Extension staff also attended conference workshops such as farming Likes it's 2024, Equipment and Technologies for Disabled Farmers, The LIFE Project - A Unique Partnership to Educate, Support, and Promote Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers in Agriculture, Obstacles in Designing Assistive Technology within a Skid Loader for Low-Mobility Individuals, Assistive Technology for Hitching Farm Equipment and Cultivating a Peer and Mentorship Network in Your State. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The activities of SC AgrAbility have been broadly communicated. During the first year, an advisory committee included several disability and agricultural partners. We meet with the advisory committee quarterly to inform them regularly of SC AgrAbility activities and results and collaborate on engaging them with our activities. The Clemson AgrAbility team had the privilege of participating in some of the most significant events in South Carolina and Georgia, showcasing the impact and benefits of AgrAbility for disabled farmers. In Georgia, at the Sunbelt Ag Expo held at Spence Field in Moultrie, attendees learned about AgrAbility and its advantages for local farmers. The attendees experienced adaptive tools used in agricultural settings--the Clemson team connected with Florida's AgrAbility program, gaining insights into client interaction and assistance strategies. The South Carolina State Fair provided a platform for the Clemson team to promote AgrAbility and farm safety to the general public and state farmers. Here, the public explored small agricultural and gardening tools. The team also attended the South Carolina Farm Bureau CAFLS Alumni Tailgating event hosted by the CAFLS Alumni Board. This event enhanced AgrAbility's visibility, reaching a broader audience and connecting with more farmers within the state. The Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) event at the Phillips Market Center in Columbia, SC, was particularly significant. It allowed the team to engage one-on-one with veterans, understanding their needs and exploring ways to enhance their farming capabilities. At the CU-Cat Spotlight event hosted by the CU Center for Agricultural Technology on the Clemson Campus, a graduate student presented an accessible cab display constructed by undergraduates participating in the Agricultural Mechanization Capstone project. This event allowed students from across the campus to interact with adaptive technology and learn about AgrAbility's benefits for farmers. The team also participated in Annie's Project, a national organization educating women in agriculture on risk management. The project coordinator attended two cohorts, one virtual in December and one in-person in June. She discussed agricultural safety and the South Carolina AgrAbility program, generating significant interest among participants, many of whom had direct connections to individuals with disabilities. At the South Carolina Farmer and Agribusiness Association Conference in Clemson, SC, the team engaged with nearly 250 agricultural educators and members, explaining the program's benefits and providing a farm safety and AgrAbility workshop. This conference facilitated connections with those unfamiliar with the service, highlighting its role as a link between clients and available support. In March, the Clemson team participated in the South Carolina Assistive Technology Expo, hosted by the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC. They connected with VR and AT industry individuals, expanding their network and impact. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Clemson Extension and AgrAbility team members worked closely with Able SC staff to develop a needs assessment that meets plain language guidelines to reach as many of the farming community as possible. The needs assessment aims to assess the specific requirements of South Carolina's disabled farming population. The team aimed to conduct a comprehensive survey involving farmers with and without disabilities, prospective farmers with disabilities, family members, service providers, educators, and the agricultural community. This assessment should provide crucial baseline information on the prevalence and types of disabilities within the target populations, enabling the team to shape their future efforts effectively. The survey was distributed digitally through crucial stakeholders to ensure a robust response rate. This needs assessment is intended to serve as a crucial initial step in understanding the needs and wants of disabled agriculturalists in South Carolina. The data collected will help define the services and support SC AgrAbility can provide to agriculturalists with disabilities across the state. By answering questions about the disabilities, barriers, and potential solutions, the needs assessment will guide the development of an effective program. Additionally, the team aims to identify barriers to agricultural careers for individuals with disabilities - including transition-aged youth. We hope to better support individuals with disabilities in pursuing agriculturally related careers. Once the needs assessment was developed, it was submitted to the Clemson University Institutional Review Board (IRB) Office to ensure that it meets all University requirements for data collection. To encourage participants' responses, two Clemson AgrAbility team members purchased five $250 each (totaling 10) Amazon gift cards worth $50 each as incentives to complete the survey. The survey was approved in May 2024, and surveys were sent to the following commodity groups' mailing lists from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA): SCDA Watermelon/Peach/Seafood Farmers SCDA SC Specialty Crop Growers Association SCDA Beef/Equine/Poultry Farmers The South Carolina Farmer-Veteran Association and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association also sent the surveys to their constituents. As of the date of this report, there were 41 respondents. However, the needs assessment is still in the middle of data collection, and follow-up reminders are being sent to the lists discussed above. Plans are in place to complete the data collection toward the end of August so the findings can be summarized and a report can be developed for distribution. The low response rate will restrict any inferences but could provide some ideas for future consideration. The team plans to obtain information from the assessment to distinguish who needs the AgrAbility program's services. The team would also like to be able to reach out to the farmers and offer the services of AgrAbility and Able SC to offer support through vocational education in South Carolina. The team would also like more in-service events to provide information to extension agents. Hence, they can identify disabled farmers or those in need of the services offered by AgrAbility. The team would like to expand the events where information could be provided to those interested.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A needs assessment was drafted and will be used to determine what is present in South Carolina concerning disabled farmers and farmers. So far, it has been challenging to discover farmers who will benefit from services provided by AgrAbility. Again, this year, the group had the most luck communicating with the veterans' farmer groups within South Carolina. Those veterans who participated in the Veterans Coalition were very receptive to what AgrAbility stood for and the opportunities the team offers. The team also communicated the importance of AgrAbility through the veteran's boot camp events held around the state. The most challenging part of the program is finding candidates to provide the services of the AgrAbility program. The Clemson team was able to put together two table displays to use at events around the state. This has been very helpful in distributing information to those interested in the program. Able SC and Advisory Committee members will also supply promotional material to reach potential farmers.

Publications

Progress 09/30/22 to 09/29/23

Outputs
Target Audience:No agency or organization is currently assimilating data for farmers with disabilities in South Carolina. Few groups in the state offer information and resources for those with disabilities interested in farming. Aging farmers is one of the most critical groups in South Carolina that the AgrAbility team has focused on in the program. Of almost 39,000 producers, only 7% are 35 or younger, and nearly 36% are 65 or over. These numbers show an aging population of farmers who would generally be aware of other extension efforts and would directly benefit from an AgrAbility program. Beginning and Experienced Farmers with Disabilities are another groups the team has focused on throughout the program. South Carolina numbers show about a third of the farming population are beginning farmers with little experience. Clemson and South Carolina State Extension programs combined with Able SC's ability to reach the general disability population interested in farming, the project would identify and serve beginning and experienced farmers who have acquired a disability. Military Veterans (5,000) contribute to the interest in farming. The South Carolina chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition is an adviser to that group. Additionally, the National Veterans Agriculture Association in South Carolina is recruiting disabled veterans interested in assistive technologies for leafy greens and vegetable production under high tunnel production systems. Youth interested in farming is the beginning group we have focused on thru Agricultural Safety Days throughout South Carolina. Able SC has also recruited youth and young adults with disabilities working in agriculture or interested in farming through its pre-employment transition services in schools across the state. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been multiple opportunities for training and professional development thus far. This includes disability-specific and agricultural-specific training. Able SC conducted a disability culture training session for agricultural-specific organizations. The training was in-person at the South Carolina Water Resources Center (Pendleton, SC), with the option of attending via Zoom video conferencing to accommodate participants' preferences and circumstances. The training session covered three key topics to increase awareness and promote inclusivity within the agricultural community: Understanding disabilities, disability etiquette, and myths and misconceptions about disability and employment. Clemson Cooperative Extension and Clemson academic community members held a training at the Able SC headquarters to educate the Able SC participants on what agriculture is and the types of agriculture throughout South Carolina. The Agricultural Safety Program at Clemson University aims to increase awareness of agricultural safety procedures, maintenance operations, and safety operations for all ages and provide training resources for South Carolina farmers and rescue teams. Currently, the program offers at least four field days conducted and targeted for students aged 14 to 18 and one teacher in-service. A 30-minute station with the topic of "AgrAbility Awareness" was developed, which every participant must complete. This goal is to prevent injury and aid in options for those with disabilities, allowing continued work in the agricultural industry. In the 2022-2023 reporting year alone, these field days were delivered to over 560 South Carolina students and 50 agricultural educators. The program was not limited to these events, and interest has exceeded initial expectations. AgrAbility SC proudly sent four staff members to the National Training Workshop held in Spokane, WA. The team included Lance Beecher, Dale Layfield, Aaron Turner (Clemson University), and Cali Sandel (Able SC). The workshop commenced on Monday, March 20th, and proved an excellent opportunity. The AgrAbility SC team actively participated in several sessions to enhance their knowledge and capacity. They attended a three-hour new staff training session on Monday, March 20th, providing a solid foundation in their roles. Other sessions they attended covered topics such as promoting positive mental health outcomes in farming communities, understanding AgrAbility in areas experiencing persistent poverty, exploring alternative and value-added agriculture enterprises, promoting resiliency using SAMHSA's 8 Domains of Wellness, suicide prevention, and the role of the project director. The team also attended sessions on assistive technology, beekeeping, reintegration of farmer veterans into the community and heard a keynote speech by Laurie Hayn, who shared her perspective on living with an acquired disability and how AgrAbility changed her life. Moreover, they gained insights into partnering with vocational rehabilitation, working with health sciences students, cultural humility, funding assistive technology, strategies for memory and organization, and safety considerations for on-site assessments to ensure staff safety. In year two and beyond, we plan to develop training that mergedisability and agriculture. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The activities of SC AgrAbility have been broadly communicated. During year one, we formed an advisory committee that included several disability and agricultural partners. We meet with the advisory committee quarterly to inform them regularly of SC AgrAbility activities and results and collaborate on engaging them with our activities. An SC AgrAbility website, Facebook, and Instagram page have been developed, which features current information on the project and contact information for those interested in learning more. We will expand the website in upcoming years as more activities and resources are created. Lance Beecher and Cali Sandel from Able SC presented to the SC Disability Employment Coalition, a statewide initiative to decrease employment barriers in South Carolina, in June 2023. The Coalition includes over 40 state and local organizations. The presentation included information about SC AgrAbility, an overview of SC agriculture, and ways for Coalition members to stay connected and informed about activities. The SC Agrability website consists of a space for individuals to sign up for our mailing list, in which we plan to send out regular communications to keep individuals informed and engaged in our work. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The team plans on having information from the assessment to distinguish who needs the AgrAbility program's services. The team will also like to be able to reach out to the farmers and offer the services of AgrAbility and Able SC to offer support through vocational education in South Carolina. The team would also like more in-service events to provide information to extension agents. Hence, they can identify disabled farmers or those in need of the services offered by AgrAbility. The team would like to expand the events where information could be provided to those interested.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A needs assessment is being drafted to determine what is present in South Carolina concerning disabled farmers and farmers. It has been challenging to locate farmers that require services provided by AgrAbility. Exposure to both disabled farmers has been expressed at many events, but the difficulty of getting disabled farmers to understand what AgrAbility is has been a challenge. One such group we have had luck with is the veterans' farmer groups within South Carolina. Those veterans who participated in the Veterans Coalition were very receptive to what AgrAbility stood for and the opportunities the team offers. The most challenging part of the program is finding candidates to provide the services of the AgrAbility program. Most of the responses have been from those who think we can fund and offer assistance to start a farm. We encourage them to reach out to other organizations for this opportunity. Promotional items are in the works, and the team hopes to use them to further educate the public on the definition of AgrAbility and what it has to offer. Able SC and Advisory Committee members will also supply promotional material to reach potential farmers. One such activity will be a workshop planned for July in South Carolina. This workshop will first act as an in-service program for agricultural agents from Clemson and South Carolina State Universities and also a seminar for underserved and disabled farmers in the community. The workshop will allow these farmers to explore topics such as high tunnels and aquaponics seminars.

Publications