AgrAbility of Wisconsin
Plowing Ahead
Promoting Success in Agriculture for People with Disabilities and Their Families
Summer 2005
Volume 14 No. 1
DVR On-Site Training Increases Farming Knowledge
E
ach year, the partnership between the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the Easter Seals Wisconsin Farm Assessment and Rehabilitation Methods (FARM) Program, and AgrAbility of Wisconsin (AAW), becomes more beneficial to farmers and farm families throughout Wisconsin. Through the partnership, DVR provides services to farmers with disabilities who need equipment modifications or assistive technology to continue their production agricultural operations.As
with all good partnerships, DVR, AAW, and FARM Program partners continue to
learn about each other’s organizations.
One such learning process occurs during on-farm training sessions,
which give DVR Counselors an invaluable opportunity to increase their
knowledge about the agricultural industry and about the culture of the
farming community. Eleven
training sessions have been offered throughout Wisconsin, in all DVR’s
Workforce Development Areas. Current or former AAW and DVR clients host the
sessions.
The
host, along with his or her DVR Counselor and FARM Program Rehabilitation
Specialist, gives an informal presentation and tour of the agricultural
operation. The counselor and
rehabilitation specialist are able to provide participants with an in-depth
explanation of the technical side of the assistive technology and
adaptations made; the farmer explains how the changes were an asset toward
the improvement of his or her daily responsibilities on the farm.
The host, along with his or her DVR counselor
and
Rehabilitation Specialist, gives an informal presentation and tour
of the agricultural operation.
Paul
Leverenz, Director of the FARM Program, explains, “A few years ago the DVR
counselors were reluctant to go to a farm.”
Now, as a result of the training experience, many DVR counselors
realize that on-site experience is important to gain a clearer understanding
of the needs of their clients.
Joe
Gellings, a Franksville poultry farmer, hosted one training session; he felt
that the more questions asked by the counselors the better.
Gellings explained that farmers do not expect the average person to
be knowledgeable about all aspects of each farm, and that farmers are always
willing to answer questions about their individual operations.
Jill Steffen, a DVR Counselor in
Ozaukee County realizes that she learned a great deal from the training
experiences. Steffen explained
that many counselors do not have a farm background and that the farm is not
a familiar environment to most counselors. Sue Munger, a DVR Counselor in
Waukesha County, understands that farmers can stay in business longer with
assistive technology and that sometimes [farmers] just need help finding it.
Mike Greco, Director of DVR Workforce Development Area 10, notes that
the on-farm training sessions have been very effective educational tools.
“The staff gets out of the office and sees this type of vocational
rehabilitation in action. They
don’t understand the impact when just hearing about it,” says Greco.
Gerard
Krantz, a dairy farmer in Cross Plains, hosted a training session in
District 10. Krantz provided
the agricultural consumer’s point-of-view about how assistive technology
aids allowed him to continue farming. Leverenz and Bill McGrath, Krantz’s DVR Counselor, assisted
with the presentation and tour. The
DVR Counselors in attendance were eager to ask questions about the assistive
technology and about the farm operation in general. While explaining about the assistive technology he received
through DVR, Krantz stressed to the group that although some items purchased
were very large and others may have seemed small and insignificant, all of
the modifications and equipment have been extremely helpful in performing
his day-to-day activities.
Leverenz
explained the importance of a mutual agreement on what the consumer wants
and needs. If the consumer is not committed to the suggested changes, no
changes will be made. These
thoughts were echoed through the group of DVR Counselors as one counselor
commented on the importance of listening to farmers and asking questions
when they don’t understand a task, a limitation, or a proposed
modification. Greco added, “The importance of letting the farmer be in
charge and [letting] the counselor [coordinate] the team resources results
in many [successes].”
McGrath summarized the tour of Krantz’s farm by reminding the group that providing assistance is a team effort. The farmer, the DVR counselor, AAW, and the FARM Program Rehabilitation Specialist, working together as a team, make the difference between failure and success.
SAFETY
FIRST
Silo-Filler's
Disease Awareness...
Silo-filler’s disease is the
term given to the injury resulting from exposure to silo gas.
Inhaling even a small amount can result in serious, permanent or
fatal lung injury. The
nitrogen dioxide combines with water in your lungs to form highly
corrosive nitric acid.
Symptoms of silo-filler’s
disease include coughing, burning, shortness of breath, chills, fever,
headaches, nausea or vomiting. While
a person may not immediately experience the symptoms from a mild exposure,
in 3-30 hours there is a slow, progressive inflammation of the lungs that
results in fluid buildup in the lungs.
This can be fatal. A
unique characteristic of this disease is that there may be a relapse in
two to six weeks after the original episode, which may be milder or more
severe than the first episode.
To prevent Silo-Filler’s
Disease:
- Stay
out of the silo for a least three weeks after filling.
- Be
alert for bleach-like odors and/or yellowish-brown gases in or near
the silo.
- If
you must enter the silo, e.g., to set up a silo unloader, do so
immediately after the last load is in.
Do not wait several hours or overnight.
Run the blower 15-20 minutes before entering and keep it
running while inside. Keep
a door open down to the silage surface, and have someone keep in
contact with you from the outside.
- Ventilate
the silo room adequately for three weeks after filling, keeping
windows and doors open.
- Keep
the door between the silo room and the barn closed to prevent silo gas
from killing livestock.
- If
you experience throat irritation or coughing in the silo, get fresh
air immediately.
- See
your doctor immediately after exposure to silo gas.
Submitted by: Cheryl Skjolaas, UW-Extension Outreach Safety Specialist
Partners...
Working with youth most of my life has been a rewarding
career; beginning with teaching agriculture education at Columbus High
School for a ten-year period and then serving the FFA Organization for 15
years following my teaching experience.
My work as State FFA Advisor/Executive Secretary provided the
opportunity to work annually with the 11 State FFA Officers who in turn
serve their individual sections of the state.
The 315 agriculture teachers we have serving 250 school
districts are not average teachers. The
work of an agriculture teacher requires them to become integrated with the
community in which they teach. Their
work involves contacting business and industry people, farmers, FFA Alumni
members, and their student’s parents.
You might ask why is the FFA Organization interested in
AgrAbility of Wisconsin? Why
would young healthy students and their teachers have an interest in
promoting the mission of AgrAbility?
The very nature of an agriculture teacher living and working in
their community in tandem with their students makes AgrAbility and FFA a
perfect partnership. Students
and teachers can be the eyes and ears of AgrAbility in each of their
communities. Students and teachers can assist to identify community
members who are living with a physical condition impairing their
performance in production agriculture.
Students and teachers who are aware of the services provided by
AgrAbility can share with their neighbors how AgrAbility can assist them
to make their lifestyle more manageable.
A second reason why FFA needs to be involved with AgrAbility
is for FFA members’ own safety. Safety
is not something we should focus on for a day, week, or even a month.
Safety is something that we need to be aware of constantly.
FFA members aware of AgrAbility and its mission is a constant
reminder to them to practice safety in their everyday lives thereby
enabling them to have a healthy productive work life.
Dean P.
Gagnon
FFA Advisor/Executive Secretary (Retired),
Wisconsin Association of FFA
Education Consultant, Wisconsin
Department of
Public Instruction
Getting Rid of Hazardous Waste Has Never Been Easier
For homeowners, farmers
or businesses that need to get rid of unwanted pesticides, chemicals or other
hazardous wastes, there are many options available thanks to the efforts of
their local government officials.
Counties,
cities, towns, regional planning commissions and other local governments are
taking advantage of the new and improved 2005 Wisconsin Clean Sweep Program
sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer
Protection.
“The
2005 collection season is nearly half over, but there is still time to find
local collection sites willing to accept paints, pesticides, solvents, acids,
mercury devices, lead paint, and other chemicals,” said Roger Springman,
Wisconsin Clean Sweep program manager.
Homeowners,
farmers, and businesses in the counties of Dane, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, La
Crosse, Milwaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca and
Wood, as well as the Northwest Clean Sweep counties of Ashland, Bayfield,
Burnett, Iron, Douglas, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor and Washburn, all have
access to local collection sites this summer and fall. In addition to the
listed counties, the cities of Milwaukee and Prairie du Chein have summer and
fall collections as well.
“If
you have been waiting to get rid of hazardous wastes and other chemicals, we
strongly encourage you to contact your local solid waste or county extension
office to see what opportunities are left for the year. Some sites only
operate for one day or a weekend while other sites continue all season,”
Springman said.
The
2005 Clean Sweep Program resulted from state budget actions that merged the
Department of Natural Resources’ Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program
with DATCP’s very successful Agricultural Clean Sweep Program. The new
combined program allows all hazardous wastes to be collected side-by-side,
making for greater convenience and service. Funds for local grants are paid
for through the Recycling Fund.
Although
the household and agricultural collection programs were not fully merged last
year, they still generated some impressive statistics. In 2004, the
Agricultural Clean Sweep Program for farmers and agricultural businesses
collected a record 289,000 pounds. The household program, with access to a far
greater number of individuals, collected 656,000 pounds of waste.
Submitted by: Jane Larson, DATCP Spokesperson
A
Farewell Message From Melissa Copas, AgrAbility of Wisconsin Consumer Services
Assistant
It
seems like just yesterday I had learned about the benefits of AgrAbility of
Wisconsin and the assistance it provides for Wisconsin’s agriculturalists.
I have met so many unique and talented individuals through AgrAbility,
and have enjoyed working with farmers, agricultural businesspersons, and farm
safety day students alike. AgrAbility’s
clients are some of Wisconsin’s most honest and hard-working
agriculturalists—and they are the ones who have made me proud to work for such
an outstanding organization. Now,
after almost three years of serving as AgrAbility’s Consumer Services
Assistant, it is time to say goodbye. I
graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in May, and will be
moving to Bloomington, Indiana at the end of the summer.
Thank you for allowing me to serve you through AgrAbility of Wisconsin.
Best wishes for a happy and successful future!
Yours
in Agriculture,
Melissa Copas