Oklahoma AgrAbility Newsletter
Winter 2008 • Volume 7 • Issue 1
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NOTE: Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, Langston University or the National AgrAbility Project and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
In This Issue
Wilhite looks foward to new opportunities
Finance 101: Social Security application starter kit available
access: Everyday practices put wear and tear on farmers' lungs
Headline news: AgrAbility seeking state appropriations in 2008
In 2007, Gov. Brad Henry signed into law the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project under state statute Agriculture, Title 2, Section 5-501.
The Oklahoma AgrAbility Project Act provides Oklahoma farmers and ranchers with disabilities access to the education, assistance and support they need to help them be more independent with their agricultural operation.
The unanimous bipartisan passage of this law sent a clear message that the Oklahoma Legislature supported people with disabilities. This was a giant step forward in recognizing the contributions of all Oklahomans, including those with a disability.
However, the Oklahoma Legislature did not choose to appropriate any funds that would support expanded services for the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project and provide the program with the ability to be sustained.
More than 17,000 Oklahoma agricultural producers report having a disability. In addition, a disproportionate number of Oklahoma's agricultural workers are killed, seriously injured and disabled every year compared to other occupations statewide.
The United States Department of Agriculture provided seed grant funding to the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project, including $150,000 for 2002 through 2005 and $200,000 for 2006 through 2009, for the initiation of AgrAbility program services to farmers and ranchers with injuries and disabilities.
The Oklahoma AgrAbility Project will actively continue to work with the Oklahoma Legislature in 2008 to seek state appropriations of $200,000.
State-funded support will allow the program to expand client services through funding for work accommodations, funding for assistive technologies and addition of a health care professional to increase case management services, thereby increasing educational opportunities for professionals and the expansion of the peer support program.
- Submitted by Linda Jaco
Advisory council update
The Oklahoma AgrAbility advisory council held its fifth-anniversary meeting in January.
The advisory council began meeting quarterly in January 2003, during the first year of the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project.
The advisory council initially included 10 members representing the interests of farmers, ranchers and agriculture- and disability-related organizations throughout Oklahoma.
Since 2003, the advisory council has been expanded to 12 members, each with vital connections to agencies and organizations that help Oklahoma AgrAbility achieve its goals.
Members of the advisory council provide opportunities for Oklahoma AgrAbility to be promoted through various events and help guide strategic promotion and marketing efforts to create public awareness of the program.
Advisory council members include
• Keith Best, farmer;
• Charlie Bowen, National Center for Disability Training and Education;
• Andrea Braeutigam, Oklahoma Agricultural Mediation Program;
• Andy Fosmire, Rural Health Projects/NwAHEC;
• Bill Inman, Central Tech;
• James Kuhn, American Farmers and Ranchers;
• Paul Parham, USDA-NRCS;
• William J. Pettit, OSU Center for Health Sciences;
• Val Schott, Oklahoma Rural Health Policy and Research Center;
• Phyllis Holcomb, Oklahoma Farm Bureau;
• John and Gaye Pfeiffer, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association;
• Melinda Fruendt, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.
The Oklahoma AgrAbility Project thanks the members of the advisory council for their support and looks forward to working with them in the future.
Wilhite looks forward to new opportunities
Carla Wilhite, Oklahoma AgrAbility program specialist, will be leaving the Oklahoma AgrAbility Project on Jan. 31.
Wilhite came to Oklahoma AgrAbility in 2003 from the Colorado AgrAbility Project. She will rejoin Colorado AgrAbility as a staff member with Easter Seals Colorado, the Colorado AgrAbility nonprofit partner, in February.
"I am excited about moving on to new opportunities, as well as continuing to work with farmers and ranchers in Colorado," Wilhite said.
Wilhite's duties with Colorado AgrAbility will include managing direct services staff; providing education to agricultural professionals, health professionals and agricultural producers and their family members; and networking with disability organizations.
In addition, Wilhite will complete her doctoral program in occupational therapy via distance learning through Creighton University.
While working with Oklahoma AgrAbility, Wilhite assisted more than 100 families and assisted in training nearly 200 health care and rehabilitation professionals statewide.
"I have learned a lot from Oklahoma's agriculture community," Wilhite said. "I don't believe there are any finer people than ones I've met here."
Wilhite also helped implement the annual Rehabilitating the Oklahoma Farmer and Rancher workshop held for health care professionals in the fall, a course for Langston University physical therapy students and the Oklahoma AgrAbility Support Network.
Gwen Doshier, Oklahoma AgrAbility program assistant, will continue to be available for client assistance. A search for candidates to fill the Oklahoma AgrAbility program specialist position will be opened this spring.
"I think Oklahoma AgrAbility is poised to experience tremendous growth and continued excellence through strong partnerships, growing legislative support and having great staffing for programs and services," Wilhite said.
Wilhite may be reached at 405-744-5182, 888-885-5588 (toll free, voice/tty) or ability@okstate.edu until Jan. 31.
Finance 101: Social Security application starter kit available
Applying for Social Security benefits is a multistep process that may be simplified with preparation and resources provided by the Social Security Administration.
Together, Social Security and the Department of Rehabilitation Services' Disability Determination Division decide to what degree a person has a disability and who will receive the benefits. The decision process may require three to five months to complete.
A doctor's diagnosis alone does not qualify a person for disability benefits nor does receiving benefits from an employer. The agency makes eligibility decisions based on its definition of disability and an interview of the applicant.
A starter kit available at Social Security offices and found on the Social Security Web site will aid in preparing for the disability interview and also assist with completion of the online application. The starter kit offers basic information about the program for disability benefits and the decision process.
Completing the medical and job worksheets provided in the kit and preparing for the interview may accelerate the decision-making process. The documents needed for the interview include
• medical information and contacts,
• certified copy of birth certificate,
• a certified copy of military discharge papers and all dates of active duty,
• workers' compensation information (date of injury, proof of payment and claim number),
• W-2 form from all jobs held within the last year,
• spouse's and children's Social Security numbers,
• checking/savings account numbers,
• alternate contact information,
• list of jobs worked during the 15 years prior to disability.
The agency will obtain additional information from doctors and other professionals who have provided disability services to the applicant.
If granted Social Security benefits, the applicant may receive benefits from two programs: Social Security Disability Insurance, which was established for insured workers and their spouses and/or children with disabilities; or Supplemental Security Income, which provides benefits based on financial need for people with disabilities who have little or no income.
SSDI and SSI are the two largest of several federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities.
More information about Social Security disability programs, preparing for an interview or visiting a local Social Security office may be obtained by calling 800-772-1213 or visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/adultdisabilityreport.
Focus on access: Everyday practices put wear and tear on farmers' lungs
The average farmer or rancher uses heavy machinery, toxic chemicals and works outside most of the day, exposing him or her to injuries and illnesses ranging from a sunburn or skin cancer to a broken bone or amputation.
Respiratory illnesses, however, account for many of the diseases among agricultural workers due to the amount of dusts, toxic gases, chemicals and molds to which they are exposed.
Common respiratory illnesses include asthma, pneumonia, respiratory infections and toxic dust syndrome. Symptoms of these illnesses, including coughing and wheezing, may occur for a number of reasons and often are self-diagnosed as a flu or cold.
One of the most dangerous respiratory illnesses, farmer's lung, may occur after exposure to molds that may grow when grain or hay reaches at least 30 percent moisture content and is stored in a warm place. When the storage temperature reaches 70 degrees, the mold spores become active.
Mold spores are extremely small bacteria - so small that the head of a pin can hold 250,000 spores and a person can inhale 750,000 in one minute. The spores grow and accumulate in the hay, and when a farmer breaks open a bale, the spores attach to dust particles in the air. The farmer breathes in the dust and develops an allergy, which is usually a simple cough or sneeze.
The newly developed allergy can grow into a more serious lung disease, such as asthma, by attacking the lungs. The lungs are vital for good health but are also the easiest path for hazardous materials to enter the body.
As farmer's lung begins to develop, mold spores settle into the lower parts of the lungs and produce toxins. As oxygen and carbon dioxide are distributed from the lower lungs, mold spores also travel into the bloodstream.
The body's reaction to the toxic spores affects the lungs’ ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. Scars, called fibrosis, form on the lungs and make breathing increasingly difficult.
Farmer's lung occurs in three stages: acute, subacute and chronic.
Symptoms in the acute stage include shortness of breath, an irritating cough, a sudden general feeling of sickness, fever, chills, a rapid heart rate and rapid breathing. An intense attack typically occurs between four to eight hours after inhaling the spores. Most attacks last about 12 hours, but more serious attacks can last as long as three months.
The subacute stage has additional symptoms of aches and pains in the muscles and joints, loss of appetite and loss of weight. Doctors most commonly diagnose these symptoms as a chest cold, as it may continue throughout winter.
Mild fever and energy loss occur in the chronic stage of farmer's lung, in addition to acute and subacute stage symptoms. The chronic stage usually occurs in the last few months of the patient's life due to significant lung damage.
Doctors must be notified of any possible exposure to mold spores or other dangerous material for farmer's lung to be diagnosed properly. Diagnosing farmer's lung typically includes blood tests, chest x-rays, breathing capacity tests or lung function tests, and a review of clinical history.
Preventive measures can be taken to ensure mold spores do not develop in grain bins, silos and feed. These measures include
• the use of mold inhibitors,
• storing grain at the recommended moisture content,
• drying grain before storage,
• ventilating storage buildings,
• using a plastic sheet rather than plant material to cap silos,
• wetting down feed before moving,
• converting to mechanical or automated feeding systems,
• wetting down the top of the silo before uncapping it,
• using wetting techniques when cleaning out grain bins,
• using respiratory protection when handling moldy or dusty materials.
Respiratory devices also may be used to protect farmers and to prevent farmer's lung and other respiratory diseases from progressing.
Professional advice is recommended when choosing protective equipment such as toxic dust masks, chemical cartridge respirators, the Airstream America helmet and respiratory masks.
For more information about agriculture-related respiratory illnesses and prevention methods, call or e-mail Oklahoma AgrAbility.
Farmers' lung resources
Oklahoma AgrAbility Project
888-885-5588
ability@okstate.edu
National Ag Safety Database
Centers for Disease Control
www.cdc.gov/nasd
Virginia Cooperative Extension
www.ext.vt.edu/resources
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
www.ccohs.ca
American Lung Association
www.lungusa.org
On the horizon: AgrAbility updates and events
January
28: Web accessibility presentation, Stillwater, Okla.
February
15-16: American Farmers & Ranchers State Convention, Oklahoma City
March
17: OSU at OYE Day, Oklahoma City
April
5: Farm Safety Day, Enid, Okla.
8: Advisory council meeting, Stillwater, Okla.
In the news: Spotlight on Oklahoma AgrAbility
Farm Bureau passes resolution in support of Oklahoma AgrAbility
A resolution supporting the National AgrAbility Project passed without opposition at the 2008 American Farm Bureau Federation convention.
The resolution originated with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, which passed a resolution supporting Oklahoma AgrAbility at the state convention in November.
Oklahoma AgrAbility has been working on building grassroots support within the state through members of the Oklahoma AgrAbility advisory council, and Oklahoma Farm Bureau helped elevate that grassroots support to the national level.
Media coverage
• Blackwell Journal-Tribune, Jan. 15, Legislators receive appreciation for AgrAbility Project assistance, by Katie L. Reim
• OSU Agricultural Communications Services, Jan. 14, AgrAbility says 'thank you,' by Katie L. Reim, http://www2.dasnr.okstate.edu/news
• OSU Agricultural Communications Services, AgrAbility receives Farm Bureau support, by Katie L. Reim, http://www2.dasnr.okstate.edu/news
This newsletter was supported in part by USDA-CSREES grant award number 2006-41590-03434.