Twenty Years of AgrAbility: A Retrospective Forum

ABSTRACT

In 1990, the Farm Bill included authorization for the Education and Training Assistance Program for Farmers with Disabilities with the goal of enabling a high-quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities. Twenty years later, AgrAbility is a developed national program with 25 state projects and affiliates throughout the United States and strong recognition with the rural and disability communities. A special forum was held in Washington, DC, last September to celebrate AgrAbility's achievements. Clients, staff members, advisory team members, government officials, and guests joined to discuss future plans for the program. Recommendations were considered to broaden the effect of the program and to enhance access to program services, especially in states without funded programs. This article summarizes key outcomes from this event.

Keywords:

• AgrAbility
• agriculture
• disability