Support and Eligibility
The help you need to keep farming.

The agricultural industry can present unique challenges. For many individuals, the presence of a disability or chronic health condition can jeopardize their agricultural futures. Our services cover a wide range of opportunities to help you continue farming and are available to you at no cost.

  • Identify farmers, veterans or farmworkers with disabilities and/or chronic diseases and refer them to appropriate resources.
  • Conduct FREE onsite farm assessments to identify barriers to completing essential everyday tasks in the agricultural workplace.
  • Recommend safe equipment or devices, efficient work practices and other effective solutions to overcome limitations.
  • Provide educational opportunities and informational resources on a variety of topics through workshops, conferences, seminars, and online programs.
  • Refer clients to additional service providers for potential assistance (e.g., counseling, educational, financial, occupational, rehabilitative) specific to the client’s needs.

Illinois AgrAbility involves Extension educators, disability experts, rural professionals, and volunteers who work in partnership to provide the unique assistance you may need to stay working and enjoying life.

Eligibility

Illinois has nearly one million people directly and indirectly involved in agricultural production. Any Illinoisan with a disability or long-term health condition who is engaged in farming may be eligible to receive services through Illinois AgrAbility.

For the AgrAbility program, a person with a disability is defined as an individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as work, daily living, and education.

Disabilities May Include

  • Arthritis
  • Spinal cord injuries/paralysis
  • Back impairments
  • Amputations
  • Brain injury
  • Visual impairments
  • Hearing impairments
  • Disabling diseases
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Respiratory impairments
  • Head injury
  • Others

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology consists of practices, devices, tools, modifications, processes and a special knowledge of science and engineering that are used to enable a person to perform a desired task. For agricultural workers with disabilities, many solutions exist, including manufactured devices or structures, modified work practices, and do-it-yourself plans.

In the context of this program, assistive technology enables a person with a disability to complete desired tasks within an agricultural setting. 

 

 

Check Eligibility and Options

Request Information

The Illinois AgrAbility Project does not provide direct funding or equipment; however, the project works with the Illinois Assistive Technology Program, Community Health Partnership of Illinois, and other third party funding sources to help customers potentially obtain needed assistive technologies, adapted devices, or modifications.