USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded 23 grants today to help farmers with disabilities through the AgrAbility program, which helps thousands of disabled people overcome barriers to continuing their chosen professions in agriculture.

“Each year, more than 80,000 farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers are injured at work badly enough to limit their ability to do their jobs,” said Roger Beachy, NIFA director. “Producers with disabilities should have every opportunity to be successful, and the AgrAbility program gives them the assistance and training they need to be profitable and maintain their quality of life.”

NIFA awarded the funds to land-grant universities that have joined with nonprofit disability organizations to address the specialized needs of AgrAbility's customers. Projects include educating professionals on how to assist those with disabilities and directly training disabled agricultural workers. The program has improved customers' financial stability, access to life activities and the ability of states and regions to deliver timely services to those with disabilities.

Since initial funding in 1991, NIFA has awarded grants to more than 30 states resulting in on-farm assistance to more than 12,000 farmers while educating thousands of professionals on how to accommodate those with disabilities in agriculture. The typical award provides up to $180,000 per year for up to four years to qualifying universities.

In addition to the state project grants, one national grant provides additional support for a National AgrAbility Project, which is directed jointly by Purdue University and Goodwill Industries. These national partners joined to provide technical assistance and professional training for the state projects, produce resource materials and distribute information related to the project. For more information, visit www.agrability.org.

The Fiscal Year 2010 grant recipients are:

University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.,  $179,928

University of California, Davis, Calif., $180,000

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., $180,000

University of Delaware, Newark, Del., $180,000

University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $180,000

Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $180,000

University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ken., $180,000

University of Maine, Orono, Maine, $180,000

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $180,000

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $176,903

University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., $180,000

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $180,000

Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $180,000

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $180,000

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $180,000

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $180,000

Texas AgriLife Extension, College Station, Texas, $179,179

Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $180,000

University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $180,000

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., $180,000

West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va., $180,000

University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., $180,000

University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., $168,137

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