Empowering farmers with assistive technology

Jan 08, 2025
By Farms.com

AgrAbility transforms agriculture with adaptive solutions

AgrAbility supports agricultural workers with disabilities through assistive technologies.

In Michigan, the program has significantly impacted individuals like Cade Krieger, an agricultural worker at MSU’s Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (SWMREC).

Krieger joined SWMREC with a background in agriculture from the National FFA Organization.

Despite using a wheelchair, he is able to perform various agriculture tasks, including mowing, operating tractors, and applying herbicides, thanks to customized equipment designed by AgrAbility specialist Ned Stoller.

Stoller and Krieger adapted existing tools to meet the farm’s needs, fostering an inclusive environment. “When Cade came to SWMREC with his experience and assistive technology, he was ready to go,” said Stoller.

AgrAbility, active in 21 states, collaborates with universities and nonprofits to implement tailored solutions for workers with diverse conditions. Michigan AgrAbility, a partnership between MSU and Easterseals MORC, has aided over 200 clients in the past year alone.

At SWMREC, farm manager Mike de Schaaf continues to innovate by seeking funding for additional equipment to further support Krieger and other workers with disabilities. These efforts demonstrate AgrAbility’s mission of ensuring agriculture remains accessible and inclusive.

AgrAbility’s work showcasesthe power of adaptive solutions in transforming lives and supporting the agricultural workforce. Learn more at National AgrAbility Project.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.