Spartan students assist a farmer with mobility issues

Steve Lovejoy<lovejoy@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension and Bev Behrens, Michigan AgrAbility -

MSU Mechanical Engineering students help AgrAbilty through capstone project.

Many Michigan farmers have issues with mobility, specifically with getting on and off of machinery. The Michigan AgrAbility project, a partnership between Michigan State University Extension and Easter Seals of Michigan, has teamed up with a group of MSU Mechanical Engineering students to develop a solution for a Clinton county farmer, Dan Akers, who has problems getting on and off his tractor. The team is working to design a folding step that can be raised and lowered while seated in the tractor cab. Once designed and prototyped, the finished step could become an after-market installation that could help other farmers with the same problem.

Funding for these School of Engineering capstone projects is typically provided by industrial sponsors. However, this project is hoping to build funds for the project through a group funding effort.

These students and Michigan’s disabled farmers need your help! Contribute to finding solutions to the problems faced by Michigan farmers with health and disability issues.

An anonymous donor has agreed to match up to $1500 raised for future projects that will help Michigan farmers. Can you help keep projects like these a priority for MSU engineering students? Donate online!

You can also make a gift by mail at: University Advancement Spartan Way, 535 Chestnut Road, Rm. 300, East Lansing, MI 48824. Make check payable to Michigan State University and write “Appeal 16CRFPR1TRACTOR” in the note section.

For more information about the Michigan AgrAbility project please go to their webpage.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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