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Law Aims to Help Disabled, Aging Farmers

Posted on: Saturday, 23 July 2005, 00:00 CDT

Jul. 22--SPRINGFIELD -- A new state law has the potential to help more disabled and aging farmers stay productive in their chosen fields.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently signed HB 1575, which allows the state to grow and expand the existing federally-funded AgrAbility Project.

So far, no money has been appropriated for that purpose, but state Sen. Rick Winkel, R-Urbana, said he hoped to see funding included in the next state budget now that the legislation he sponsored is officially on the books.

"It certainly is a good sign," Winkel said. "It's a future commitment of state resources."

In Illinois, AgrAbility is administered by the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service and the Easter Seals of Central Illinois with a budget of $150,000 a year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Any additional funds from the state "will allow us to reach out to more farmers and help them realize how much we can help them in this program," said Bob Aherin, director of the federal AgrAbility program in Illinois and an UI agriculture safety and health program leader.

According to Aherin, a small staff and about 60 volunteers work to promote AgrAbility in Illinois.

Program staff then work with farmers who have disabilities or health problems to secure the rehabilitation services they need and help find solutions, such as equipment modifications, allowing them to continue in their chosen line of work. Everything is handled on a confidential basis.

John Hawkins, a spokesman for the Illinois Farm Bureau, said the federal AgrAbility Project, launched about 15 years ago, has been helpful to Illinois farmers.

"This has always been a good program," he said. "In fact, it's been very progressive and has done a lot of farmers a lot of good. I personally know some farmers who have gotten help from AgrAbility, and it's a good program."

But there are still a number of farmers who are unaware of the services available through AgrAbility or who need help paying for equipment modifications and other devices that can help them continue working.

And more injuries occur every year in such a hazardous profession, while an aging work force faces growing health challenges such as arthritis, respiratory problems and heart conditions, Aherin said.

Once running, the new state AgrAbility program can help in two major ways, according to Jeff Squibb, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Agriculture. First, it can help expand the federal program's outreach and education efforts.

And unlike the federal program, money from the state program could be used to provide a disabled farmer with the special equipment or machinery modifications they need, Squibb said.

"There already are state funds being spent on such items; this certainly would not replace that," Squibb said. "It would just enhance the funds already spent by the (Illinois Department of Human Services) Division of Rehabilitative Services. So DORS has various programs to help train and employ persons with disabilities, and this would enhance those services that DORS provides."

Aherin said any new funding for AgrAbility would be money well spent.

"We feel fairly confident that what's invested in this program is paid back many times over to the people of Illinois by keeping these farm people working in agriculture and being productive," he said.

For more information, visit www.agrabilityunlimited.org.

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Source: The News-Gazette

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