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Maine AgrAbility: Overview

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.

Maine AgrAbility is a non-profit collaboration of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Alpha One; Maine AgrAbility is part of a nationwide network of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs begun through the 1990 Farm Bill. The goal of the National AgrAbility Project is to inform, educate, and assist farmers, fishermen and forest workers, and their families with disabilities, so they can continue to have successful careers in agriculture.

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Managing Pain on the Farm: A Tool for Farmers

stop light image: Go = continue routine activities, ask PCP about preventative health steps; Caution = warm-up, stretch, and avoid strenuous activity, call AgrAbility for advice on adaptive tools and techniques; Stop = delegate or delay tasks, see your PCP

Pain can often be a taboo topic, especially in physically demanding jobs like farming. Often, there is an expectation that pain associated with the physical work of farming, fishing, or forestry is to be expected. Farmers can take steps to reduce pain. Learn more.

Success Stories

Learn more about how Maine AgrAbility works with farmers, fishermen, and forest workers to help them continue to work successfully.

Poster Available!

Yoga Stretches for Farmers helps you to relax and recharge throughout your day to stay healthy. To request a free copy of this 11″x17″ color poster, contact us at maine.agrability@maine.edu. Or download a copy here: Yoga Stretches for Farmers Poster (PDF).