Maine AgrAbility with Bella Russo and Brie Weisman

On this episode of the Maine Farmcast, Glenda and Colt are joined by Bella Russo, Director of Maine AgrAbility, and Brie Weisman, occupational therapist, to discuss Maine AgrAbility.Addressing health, safety, and the prevention of injuries across the state of Maine— on the farm, on the water, and in the forest. The Maine AgrAbility project is dedicated to helping farmers, fishermen, and forest workers work safely and more productively. Maine AgrAbility is designed to assist owners, operators, managers, employees, and family members of farm, fishing or forestry businesses. We offer education for agricultural workers whose lifestyle and business have been impacted by a disability. We provide training and education to health care providers, agricultural professionals, emergency response agencies, and other community groups about agricultural workers with disabilities.Maine AgrAbility programming is funded through a grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. We network with many existing resources and help provide connections for agricultural workers and their families. Maine AgrAbility addresses a wide variety of disabling conditions, including, but not limited to, arthritis, spinal cord injuries/paralysis, back impairments, amputations, brain injury, visual impairments, hearing impairments, disabling diseases, cerebral palsy, respiratory impairments, and head injury.To learn more about Maine AgrAbility please check out the website:https://extension.umaine.edu/agrability/You can contact Maine AgrAbility at:138 Pleasant Street, Suite #1Farmington, Maine 04938-5828Tel: 800.287.1478Email: [email protected] complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME  04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).