Promoting Success in Agriculture for People with Disabilities
and Their Families
Focus – Self Employment: Working Toward a Common Goal
Cooperative Extension, Small Business Development Centers, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, rural development programs, Social Security Administration’s work incentives initiative, and AgrAbility, to name a few, all share a common mission. These public sector programs provide resources and services to help individuals become or remain self-employed business operators. The challenge is to understand how each program works, the eligibility criteria, scope of services, and application procedure and timeline.
The farmer, rancher, or farmworker with a disability who chooses to work in production agriculture may already face a number of challenges; such as, work site barriers, selecting or changing an agricultural operation, lack of business capital, inexperience developing business plans, and limited exposure to available resources. The task of putting all the pieces of the “resources and services” puzzle together could be a daunting task. The following paragraphs provide brief descriptions of government resources and services available to the farmer with a disability.
Flowchart. Public programs available to assist those who wish to be self employed.
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Cooperative Extension
The Extension component of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service provides services and develops resources in four major areas: agriculture/natural resources, youth development, family and consumer sciences, and community and economic development. State cooperative extension programs provide information on alternative enterprises, marketing strategies and management skills, business plans, improved productivity through resource management, pest control, soil testing, livestock production practices, water quality, waste management, and land use planning.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
SBDCs offer free, face-to-face business consulting and fee-based training on topics such as business plan development, finding sources of capital, marketing, and regulatory requirements. SBDCs are funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and by various partnerships developed with the private sector, colleges, universities, and state government.
State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Each state has a VR agency that provides services to eligible individuals with disabilities in order to secure gainful employment appropriate to their abilities and capabilities, including self employment. VR services could be provided for technical assistance to conduct market analyses or to develop business plans. VR agencies can also assist in the purchase of assistive technology (AT) to address barriers to employment and independent living. AgrAbility projects have developed expertise in identifying agriculture-related assistive technology to reduce barriers around the farm or ranch. Often AgrAbility and VR work together to identify the AT best suited for the agriculture worker.
Farm Service Agency (FSA)
“Stabilizing farm income, helping farmers conserve land and water resources, providing credit to new or disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and helping farm operations recover from the effects of disaster are the missions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's FSA.” FSA's services are organized into specific areas: farm loans, financial inquiries, price support, commodity operations, conservation programs, disaster assistance, and environmental. In addition to farm management guidance, FSA has two specific loan programs that may be of interest to farmers with disabilities; Socially Disadvantaged Farmers (minorities and women) and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
The NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help agricultural producers and others care and protect the land. Locally-based NRCS staff work directly with farmers and ranchers. The Small, Limited Resource, and Beginning Farmers/Ranchers program can assist farmers develop and maintain the economic viability of their farm operation and practice good stewardship.
Rural Development
Depending on the business needs of the self-employed farmer, USDA Rural Development programs may provide innovative agricultural resources for value-added agricultural products or farm-based renewable energy. Rural Development agencies are housed with FSA and NRCS in USDA Service Centers.
Social Security Administration (SSA) Work Incentive Program
Special rules make it possible for people with disabilities receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments and/or Medicare or Medicaid. Work incentives were designed to help individuals to enter, re-enter, or stay in the workforce by protecting their eligibility for cash payments and/or health care until they achieve independence. Work incentives may allow the person to set aside money for purchasing business equipment or assistive technology or to disregard the costs of impairment-related work expenses without reducing the monthly benefit.
Because work incentives are individualized, initiated for specific circumstances, and mean an eventual end to disability benefits, it is highly recommended that the individual have a well thought out business plan. The SSA Ticket–to-Work legislation authorized and awarded community-based organizations grants to provide benefits planning and other assistance. The Benefits Planning Assistance Outreach Program (soon to be renamed Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Services) offers free services in every state and territory.
State and Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs)
SRAPs provide education and networking to health, agriculture and government professionals on how farmers can continue farming with a disability. SRAPs provide direct technical assistance to the agricultural worker who chooses to work in production agriculture. When providing direct assistance to the farmer, AgrAbility staff can inform and help coordinate relationships with other service providers. Whether a formal business development team is pulled together by the farmer and AgrAbility or the farmer connects with the specific agencies needed, AgrAbility staff support, research, and recommend solutions and resources.
The National AgrAbility Project (NAP) provides assistance to farmers from states without an AgrAbility project and maintains an electronic database of over 1,000 agriculture-related assistive technology devices. In addition, NAP provides technical assistance and training to the SRAPs.
AgrAbility projects are a partnership between the Cooperative Extension at a land grant university and a private nonprofit disability service provider. Because of this unique agreement, AgrAbility staffs are aware of resources in agriculture, rehabilitation and employment that may benefit the farmer.
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