1:00 PM - 1:30 PM           Bent Backs, Sore Knees & Repetitive Motion

Learn about assistive devices and methods to reduce pain caused by working in awkward positions for long days on the farm. Crawling along or walking bent over carrying a bucket or basket is a way of life for many fruit and vegetable growers. Plastic mulch and mechanical transplanters reduce the efforts of planting and weed control, but there is no way around harvesting. Bent backs and crawling along rows is a necessity for producers of vegetables and strawberries. Repetitive motions transplanting seedlings, hoeing, picking sweet corn, and lifting baskets take their toll on farmers. AgrAbility can help you figure out how to work productively and feel better at the end of the day.

• Ned Stoller - Michigan AgrAbility

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM           Funding Equipment to Keep Working With a Medical Condition

Funding is available to help growers with medical conditions purchase necessary tools and equipment so they can continue their careers in agriculture. Learn about Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS), a state agency with the mission of helping people with disabilities find and keep their jobs. MRS has a special fund set aside for farmers struggling with medical conditions to get the equipment needed to keep working. The requirements to qualify are 1) selling at least $10,000 of produce annually or earning minimum wage, 2) having a medical record indicating a medical condition limiting ability to do work tasks, and 3) working legally in Michigan.

• Chelsey Morrison - Michigan Rehabilitation Services