Indiana AgrAbility Project/Breaking New Ground Outreach Program

AgrAbility is a USDA-sponsored program that assists farmers, ranchers, and otherFarmer sitting on lift to raise him into tractor seat while wheelchair sits on left of photo agricultural workers with disabilities. While the term “disability” often brings to mind conditions such as spinal cord injuries and amputations, AgrAbility addresses not only these but also many other conditions, such as arthritis, back impairments, and behavioral health issues.

Through education and assistance, AgrAbility helps to eliminate (or at least minimize) obstacles that inhibit success in production agriculture or agriculture-related occupations.

Why does the program have two names? Purdue University began serving farmers with disabilities in 1979, and the program became known as Breaking New Ground. Later, in 1990, Congress created the AgrAbility Program, and Breaking New Ground received the grant to lead the Indiana AgrAbility Project. Therefore, since some people know the program as Breaking New Ground and others as AgrAbility, both names are used.

 

Project Partners

Purdue University logo with Purdue "P" at top       Breaking New Ground logo with tractor image and furrows      Easterseals Crossroads logo         Hoosier Uplands logo

Read more about the Indiana AgrAbility Project Partners…

 

Major Sponsors

 
USDA logo with text United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Farm Credit Mid-America logo