The combination of workplace hazards, a "greying" farm population and limited access to health information makes Illinois' agricultural sector more susceptible to health problems and work-related injuries. AgrAbility helps disabled farmers stay on the farm by providing information on safe, affordable modifications and solutions.

The John Deere Gator screeches to a halt outside the barn door. The lowing of cows can be heard from beyond the door. Brenda Besse steps off of the Gator and collects the baby bottles and large feed sacks. She's working today at Brierwood Farms in Hillsdale. Later this week she'll be working at Besse Farms in Erie, a grain, corn and soybean farm.

As she walks into the barn to start the feedings, you would never suspect the horrifying farm accident she endured in 1981.

"It happened when I was clearing some corn stalks from the combine head and my pant leg became caught. My leg was dragged into the head and I was holding on to whatever I could. I couldn't do anything but wait

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for the machine to finish cutting through my leg so I could get free. It took about two minutes.

"The final sever catapulted me forward and I rolled over, looked up at the combine and thought, 'I've got to get out of here.' After that I had to hop through the corn stalks and up the combine steps. I hit the button to shut off the head, which is what I should have done in the first place, put the combine in gear, and drove to find help."

Besse lost her leg and went through a painful, but fast recovery. She got out of the farm business to work a desk job, but 15 years later, got back into farming. "When I got hurt, there wasn't a program around that could help me continue farming. Now there is."

Besse is a field representative for AgrAbility Unlimited, a program helping Illinois farmers who have had disabling accidents or diseases. The AgrAbility program began in 1991 when the University of Illinois Extension and Easter Seals joined to help victims of one of the most dangerous professions in Illinois — agriculture. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

More than 200 Illinois farmers are disabled each year due to accidents or health problems. And although neighbors can help a farmer get his or her corn planted or harvested, this is only a short-term solution. AgrAbility assists these farmers in regaining their "ability" to farm, through equipment modifications, peer services and general support.

AgrAbility helped Besse to get that John Deere Gator she uses on her farm. Some farmers just need an extra step on the tractor, or a handrail to get in and out of the cab. Others need lifts to get into their trucks and tractors. Whatever they need, they can turn to AgrAbility for help. More than 600 farmers are back on their tractors thanks to AgrAbility.

But turning to AgrAbility has been a source of anxiety for many farmers. "Farmers are very proud individuals and they don't go looking for help," says Mike Brokaw, Program Director for AgrAbility Unlimited. It's also hard to get out information about the program. The organization tried farm trade shows and agricultural papers, but discovered a better way. "When farmers are out looking at tractors, they don't want to think about ending up in a wheelchair. So we created a local volunteer system to help us get the word out," says Brokaw.

The volunteers, or community ambassadors, keep in touch with regional AgrAbility represen-

Dennis Amdor uses his new grain-vac to fill the seed boxes on his planter. Sometimes simple modifications make a huge difference.

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AgrAbility helps remove barriers by modifying farm equipment. RD Elder accesses his tractor with his Life Essentials lift.

A simpler lift is used to provide access to the high first step.

In addition to farming, Brenda Besse has been named the #1 Female Amputee Golfer in the nation. She has won 42 of 50 amputee tournaments.

tatives and inform farmers about the program. They put information in places accessible to farmers, such as the local coffee shops, barbershops and grain elevators.

Once a farmer's accident or illness is reported to the regional representative, a meeting is set up between the victim, the representative and Brokaw. If someone doesn't want help, the representatives just step back, but often find that families weren't even aware of the program's existence.

"Most farmers, the first thing they tell you is 'I'm going to get back in the tractor.' We say, fine, we have the technology to do that. But, how are you going to get from the house to the machine shed when there is mud and gravel, and all you have is a small tire wheel chair that you got when you checked out of the hospital? We try to look at the whole picture," says Brokaw.

After a few visits, Brokaw brings in the farmer's entire family. "It has to be a joint effort. If you have someone who isn't on board, it's going to create problems in the end. You want everyone involved."

The accidents or illnesses themselves often change people forever. "Now that I've had my accident, my whole perspective has changed," says Besse. "I've really become more compassionate. Before, I didn't care much for others, but now I will go out of my way to help them. I enjoy working for AgrAbility because the program has the same mindset of helping others. It really is a great program."

Many farmers also get something out of the networking system that develops. AgrAbility can put them in touch with others who have similar disabilities, providing a support system. "One of the things I am most proud of is that we have so many people willing to help with the program. Illinois is just a great agriculture state. People are always ready to give," says Besse.

Illinois has more than 500,000 people directly or indirectly involved with agriculture production. More than 200 of these individuals will become permanently disabled each year. Brokaw says he sees about an equal number of disabilities caused by accidents and health issues. "We receive more

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Agrability Services Through AgrAbility Unlimited, farmers, their families and agricultural workers will continue to enjoy their way of life. The program seeks ways to overcome disabilities through: • A toll-free information and referral hotline. • Networking with local agricultural and rehabilitation professionals. • Community resource coordination. • Equipment modification information. • Job restructuring. • Alternative job development. AgrAbility offers: • Comprehensive assistance to farmers, farm workers, and their families who have any form of disability. • Individualized services aimed to increase self-sufficiency and independence. AgrAbility assists with: • On-Site assessments to determine adaptive requirements. • Equipment/worksite modification and consultation. • Job task restructuring. • Agricultural occupation alternatives. • Stress management counseling. • One-on-one support network. • Safety/secondary injury awareness

and more chronic health conditions as our farm population gets older," says Brokaw.

Arthritis, diabetes and vision or hearing loss are a few examples of conditions that can affect the way farmers do their jobs every day. "That has been tough to get across to farmers because they don't think it's a disability. But it's affecting how they do things every day. There are some simple things we can do, like adding a step or handrail, to make things easier."

The three most common debilitating accidents are tractor roll-overs, suffocation in grain bins, and fires. A lot of accidents are related to an older piece of equipment that doesn't have the safety features it needs. Some are caused by farmers not taking the precautions they need to.

"It is up to farmers to protect themselves," says Cherry Brieser Stout, Editor of Prairie Farmer magazine. "We've lost three generations in my family to accidents. My grandfather was killed in a combine accident nearly 70 years ago. My father was killed in 1983 in a tractor overturn accident. My brother was electrocuted while working on a grain bin."

One organization, Safe Electricity, seeks to remind farmers of safety around electricity. Electricity is a part of almost every aspect of farming these days. And electrocution is one of the leading causes of death for fanners.

Stout recalls the tragedy of her brother's death. "The corn was plugged at the top and he climbed on top of the grain bin with a metal rod to break it up. There was a power line that ran above the grain bin and the metal rod touched the line.

For us, it drove home the point that when you put up a structure on the farm, you need to take a real close look at where the electric lines are in relation to your farm building and activities."

One of Safe Electricity's key points is "look up and live." This is especially important when moving grain augers and other tall equipment.

Molly Hall, Director of Safe Electricity, says she recalls an event where a father and son drove their auger underneath a power line. The son jumped free of the tractor and lived, but the farmer stepped out one foot at a time and was killed. When in any vehicle that comes into contact with power lines, stay in the vehicle if possible and if you must get out, jump with both feet together. The electricity needs a path to ground. If you are in contact with the vehicle and the ground simultaneously, you are providing that path. The Safe Electricity Web site has a section devoted to agriculture safety issues. Visit it at www.safeelectricity.org.

All farmers need to practice safety on a daily basis. "Farmers need to protect not only themselves but also their children. One of the problems we have today is that we have young people and grandparents that are working on the farm who don't have the same reflexes as people in the prime of their life, and that makes for extra risk for those groups," says Stout.

But when accidents do happen, AgrAbility can help. You can contact AgrAbility through Program Director Mike Brokaw at (800) 500-7325, Northern Field Representative Brenda Besse (Bloomington area and north) at (309) 659-2715, or Southern Field Representative Jim Williams (South of Bloomington) at (309) 663-1185. The Web site www.agrabilityunlimited.org features contact information, information about the program and links to other helpful sites.

Besse says, "Life doesn't end with a disability." She proves this statement every day she works on a farm.

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