By COURTNEY LYNN LIPPLY
Joe Price makes it clear that whether you lose a part of your body or lose a loved one or friend from a farming accident, life goes on. You have to find the strength in yourself and find who you are again to realize you can pick yourself up and continue your journey through life.
Key Points
• Goal No. 1 after an accident is picking up the pieces.
• The AgrAbility program offers counseling and guidance.
• The national headquarters for AgrAbility is at Purdue University.
Price nearly lost his life in a farm accident. Instead, he survived, only losing his left hand.
Friends, family, loved ones and even strangers helped Price get through this challenging time. It’s not every day that you get to be thankful for your life being spared.
Organization helps
AgrAbility personnel reached out to Price. AgrAbility is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and consists of 24 state and regional projects and a national project, which is currently located at Purdue University. The program was modeled after Extension programs in Vermont and Indiana. AgrAbility came into existence with passage of the 1990 Farm Bill.
AgrAbility serves and provides direct services to individuals in agriculture who are restricted from daily tasks due to any type of physical, cognitive or illness-related disability. It offers services at no cost, such as on-site assessments for accessibility, recommending appropriate assistive technologies, and arranging for peer-support opportunities. AgrAbility has a vision to enable a high-quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers and other agricultural workers with disabilities.
The marketing coordinator for Purdue’s AgrAbility program has seen the AgrAbility project help someone tremendously. “My dad was injured a few years ago when a round bale of hay fell on him. He found AgrAbility very helpful. The program helped him get the equipment needed to continue taking care of his animals and doing the things he enjoys,” says Kylie Hendress.
Information on AgrAbility resources and services can be found at www.agrability.org, or by calling 800-825-4264.
Lipply is a Purdue University senior in ag communications.
A TRUE SURVIVOR: Joe Price is glad to be milking cows after his brush with death.
This article published in the January, 2012 edition of INDIANA PRAIRIE FARMER.
All rights reserved. Copyright Farm Progress Cos. 2012.