AgrAbility keeps Larsen-Mann on the farm after a terrible farm accident

LARSEN – It was a typical fall day on the farm for John “Shrimpy” Mitchell as he chopped corn to serve as feed for the steers he and his brother raised on their farm in Larsen.

Then, in a split second, his life changed forever.

On that September day in 2022, he got caught in a pulling helicopter.

Looking back, the 36-year-old farmer says: “Because my arm was severed in the chipper, it had to be amputated below my right shoulder. My left leg was also trapped and my foot had to be surgically reattached.”

When accidents occur on the farm, it often means the end of a farm.

“After the accident, I was frustrated because I couldn’t do so many things. I had a new skid steer loader with only four hours of operation, but I could no longer operate it without my arm and with limited use of my foot.”

Luckily, Mitchell learned about AgrAbility of Wisconsin.

Jeff Kratochwill, an AgrAbility social worker, came to the Mitchell farm to find out how to help the young farmer stay in business.

AgrAbility of Wisconsin is a USDA-funded project designed to assist farmers with health challenges, injuries or disabilities. AgrAbility is a partnership between the University of Wisconsin Extension and Easter Seals of Wisconsin.

Since the organization was founded in the early 1990s, AgrAbility has assisted approximately 3,300 farmers in Wisconsin.

Finding solutions that meet the needs of farmers

Once a farmer enrolls in the AgrAbility program, a caseworker like Kratochwill visits the farm to understand the issues. These caseworkers have first-hand experience and agricultural knowledge that can help find solutions that best meet individual needs.

AgrAbility also connects farmers with other programs, such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), that can provide opportunities for financial support.

For Mitchell, this was huge.

Under this program, he received a modified skid steer loader, an automatic hitch and a foot-operated implement, critical pieces of equipment provided to him with the support of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department. Since his accident, Mitchell has also received a special dual tire changer that clips to the skid steer, as well as a special attachment for his skid steer that allows him to continue splitting wood to heat his farm shop.

Still able to do the things he loves

This support has given Mitchell a sense of relief as he can continue doing the things he loves on the farm.

He grew up on the farm where he and his brother raise and market about 150 to 200 steers annually. His older brother had originally planned to take over the farm, but was tragically killed in a car accident near their farm when he was just 21 years old.

Mitchell’s father stopped milking cows in 1997. In 2015, Mitchelle was able to purchase part of the farm from his father. Today he lives with his family in the house where he grew up.

He and his wife Candy have two children – Carrie and Aaron. Together with his brother Hank and his wife Melissa, they were able to keep the family farm running.

Looking back on the events of the last few years, he is very grateful to AgrAbility of Wisconsin and DVR for providing him with the equipment.

“After the accident it was really hard to find something that was as simple as before. “Operating the skid steer loader was one of them,” Mitchell said. “Thanks to these two incredible programs, I can continue farming.”

He shared his experience of his accident and his newfound gratitude with the public by appearing on a radio program about farms in Nebraska during Farm Safety Week and speaking at an Easter Seals AgrAbility program in Madison. There he met other farmers who shared similar stories about getting help to do farm work despite illness or injury.

Mitchell is pleased to know that if he encounters problems with farm tasks in the future, he can turn to AgrAbility again for further assistance.

Mitchell’s key takeaway for preventing farm accidents is that shortcuts can have tragic consequences.

“When I had my accident, all my neighbors became more aware that something like this can happen too quickly. That made them take a step back and think about what they were doing and whether it was safe,” he said.

Unfortunately, accidents on the farm are common. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the incidence rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among agricultural workers is the highest of all industries. At 21.5 deaths per 100,000 workers, the fatality rate is highest in agriculture.

“It’s too late for me, so all I can do is move on. “I still struggle with the mental part (of the accident), but thanks to this program I no longer have to struggle with the physical part of it,” he said.

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