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An Old-timer rancher maneuvers his wheelchair as he sets out to spend time with his great-granddaughter.

Strengthening the Physical and Mental Wellness of Ranchers with Disabilities

May 5, 2025

Whether you have grown up in agriculture all your life or you are just beginning your ag story,
you can probably recall a time when your boots bounced around on frozen “cow pies” on a
frosty fall morning. Those same boots have likely crunched through stubble fields in late
summer or marched through drifted snow piles in the heart of winter.

As ag producers, we are forced to “be where our boots are” even in some of the toughest environments and brutal weather. But what if you no longer could bounce over the pies, crunch the stubble, or march the drifts? What if jumping into your Wranglers, throwing on your boots, and running out the door to check a calf suddenly involved a transfer from your bed into a manual wheelchair, and from that chair into a power wheelchair that you used outside? The change in morning routine might be a big adjustment; however, it doesn’t mean your ag story must abruptly end either.

Introducing Cutting Fences Foundation: Empowering Ranchers with Disabilities Through Adaptive Support

With the right adaptive equipment, ranchers with disabilities can find themselves in those same spots bouncing around on frozen manure, crunching through stubble, and plowing through drifts—and Cutting Fences Foundation can help with this.

Cutting Fences Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to strengthening physical and mental wellness for farmers, ranchers, and veterans in agriculture living with a disability or illness through improved function, independence, and quality of life. Cutting Fences Foundation was founded by Kendra Lewis, who grew up in Geraldine, MT. Kendra was blessed to grow up in both a rural community and an agricultural community.

Kendra did her Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Project, which focused on farmers and ranchers living with disabilities, by creating the Cutting Fences Podcast. Through the relationships built with her podcast guests, she quickly realized this was a population that was in need of an organization to meet their needs in the state of Montana, and Cutting Fences Foundation was born to do just that.

A Disabled Rancher in a wheelchair leading his horse.

Adaptive Tools That Keep Ranchers with Disabilities on the Land

Cutting Fences Foundation’s main program is the AgEquipt Loan Closet, an agricultural-specific adaptive equipment loan closet for disabled ranchers. AgEquipt currently houses an Action Trackstander, Freedom Trax, Terrain Hopper, and a Coach Lift.

  • The Trackstander is an all-terrain power wheelchair with tracks in place of a standard wheel. The Trackstander can not only get the producer essentially anywhere they would need to go but also has standing capability to assist in standing if the individual is unable to do so on their own.
  • The Freedom Trax is a track attachment for a manual wheelchair. The user can roll up onto the track attachment, connect the remote, and they go from a manual chair to a power wheelchair within minutes.
  • The Terrain Hopper is also an all-terrain piece of equipment. With each tire having its own motor, the Terrain Hopper is true four-wheel drive and can traverse and climb just about any terrain, including stairs.
  • The Coach Lift is a lift that can be mounted to a tractor or other equipment to help individuals access the equipment they need through the seated lift.

All four pieces of equipment are available for ranchers, farmers, and veterans to loan for free for extended periods of time.

Disabled ranchers arehelped by Cutting Fences Foundation to continue the work that he loves

Life-Changing Equipment Designed for Tough Terrain and Tougher People

This equipment has restored the ability of these ranchers with disabilities to independently calve, fix fence, enjoy their families, and stay active in their roles within agriculture and their communities. Access to adaptive equipment can be the difference between hanging your hat as a farmer or rancher or lacing up your boots for another day of work. It is essential to the world’s livelihood to keep as many producers in agriculture as possible. With high injury/accident prevalence in the industry and aging producers, it is important to have access to adaptive ways of living the lifestyle and feeding the world.

Cutting Fences Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside producers to discover these adaptive solutions and continue eliminating barriers for farmers, ranchers, and veterans in agriculture.

“Cutting Fences, as well as VocRehab, have really had an impact on life as far as getting out and doing the work required on our place. The loan of the Trackchair for calving was huge—and then I was able to get one of my own through VocRehab. Cutting Fences helped to facilitate that too.”

– Trackstander User 3

Join the Mission: How You Can Help Cutting Fences Foundation

If you or someone you know could benefit from the support of Cutting Fences Foundation, please reach out! If you are interested in supporting our mission, please visit our donation tab on the website below.

Kendra Lewis, OTD, OTR/L
Cutting Fences Foundation
cuttingfencesfoundation@gmail.com
www.cuttingfencesfoundation.net

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