The AgrAbility Project is a USDA funded program that provides education, technical assistance, and information dissemination to people with disabilities who are involved in agriculture. It is estimated that approximately 500,000 people working in agriculture have physical disabilities that interfere with their ability to perform essential tasks on the farm or ranch.

The majority of people with disabilities who work or live in agricultural settings want to continue an agricultural way of life. In many instances they are frustrated in their attempt to do so. Rural isolation, limited personal resources, gaps in rural service delivery systems, and inadequate access to agriculture-oriented assistance are among the obstacles these individuals face.

AgrAbility staff in nineteen states facilitate the technology transfer to farmers and ranchers with disabilities in a variety of ways. Some of the services provided by AgrAbility include: assessment of agricultural worksites and suggestion of modifications, exploring ways of modifying agricultural equipment, assessing agricultural tasks and making recommendations on restructuring these tasks, and stressing agricultural safety and prevention of secondary injury. People with any type of disability are served through the AgrAbility Project. Some examples of the most common disabilities which affect persons in agriculture include: spinal cord injuries, amputation, arthritis, back pain, respi-ratory impairment, stroke, and multiple sclerosis among others.

Examples of technology for people with disabilities (assistive technology) most often inquired about includes man lifts for tractors and combines, hand controls for agricultural equipment, adapted hand tools, devices such as automatic gate openers which make farmsteads more accessible, and labor saving equipment and techniques. Information on mobility devices and building modifications is also commonly requested.

The nineteen state project presently involves: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana and Idaho (joint project), Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Each project is a cooperation between a land grant university in the state and a non-profit disability organization such as the Easter Seal Society.

In addition to the state project grants, one national grant provides additional support for a National AgrAbility Project involving the Breaking New Ground Resource Center at Purdue University and the National Easter Seal Society.

These national partners combined to provide technical assistance and professional training for the state projects and to produce resource materials. Breaking New Ground also has a toll free number (800-825-4264) which provides free access to callers nationally and world-wide.