08/20/07 Idaho AgrAbility grant

A young farmer was scrambling to get down but the belt on the baler kept slipping. And then he got caught in the power take off and lost both of his arms. That man is still baling today, by dropping his elbows into cups that are mounted to the steering wheel. He's doing what he loves after working with a team that thought outside the box. Agr-Ability is a program that is designed to help farmers with disabilities. Sandy Bragg says Idaho has just received grant money to assist producers. BRAGG "In cooperation with United Cerebral Palsy, the Idaho Assisted Technology Project and the University of Idaho and it solely an Idaho grant now." Bragg says many of us take for granted the simple things that we do around the farm or ranch but they can be tough sledding for a person with disabilities or injuries. BRAGG "Setting your mirror ergonomically correct so that you don't have to bend your neck or twist your neck so much. There's new hitches designed with a v-shape that you don't have to get up and down out of your tractor so much. It will actually help guide you into your implement for hookup." If you want more information about Agr-Ability contact United Cerebral Palsy's toll free number, 1-888-289-3289. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott