About AgrAbility

Farming with a disability or health condition? Learn more about services & support through AgrAbility.

AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians (AgrAbility PA) is a grant funded program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA - NIFA) that provides services and support to farmers and agricultural workers with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

Since 1995, AgrAbility PA has helped farmers and agricultural workers across Pennsylvania. AgrAbility PA is a partnership between the Penn State Extension and UCP Central PA.

Some of the more common disabilities or health conditions that Pennsylvania farmers may have include:

• Amputation
• Arthritis
• Back impairment or chronic pain
• Blind or visual loss
• Diabetes
• Deaf or hearing loss
• Joint impingement or injury
• Respiratory issues
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury

AgrAbility staff can provide a variety of services, at no cost to the farmers and farm families who have a disability or long-term health condition and want to remain in or return to production agriculture.

AgrAbility services include:

• Conducting on-site farm assessments to identify barriers to completing essential everyday tasks and chores, both in the agricultural workplace and the home.
• Identifying safe and appropriate assistive technology, such as equipment, devices, and modified work practices.
• Offering information on a variety of topics related to agriculture, disability, and health conditions.
• Providing access to in-person and online educational training opportunities through workshops, conferences, and events.
• Making referrals to additional service providers for assistance, such as funding resources, occupational or physical therapy assessments, or other services specific to the farmer or their family.
• Providing peer support to connect farmers with one another.

While AgrAbility PA does not have the ability to provide direct funding for equipment, modifications, or assistive technology identified through a farm assessment, the staff works with farmers and their families to explore financial support through several options:

• Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
• Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF)
• Technology for Our Whole Lives (TechOWL)
• Other third-party funding sources such as agricultural credit unions, banks, or organizations.

About AgrAbility

AgrAbility came into existence through the 1990 Farm Bill and 8 states were initially funded in 1991. Currently, there are 21 state programs providing services in 22 states, as well as the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) headquartered at Purdue University. The grant program is administered by USDA-NIFA.

Contact AgrAbility PA

If you or someone you know is interested in AgrAbility PA services, call 814-867-5288 or email agrability@psu.edu. For more information, visit agrabilitypa.org or follow AgrAbility PA on social media: @AgrAbilityPA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.