Meet Cade!

Michigan AgrAbility Helps Young Adult Continue His Passion for Farming

Cade is a young farmer who enjoys any activity where he gets to spend time outdoors. In his free time, he likes to go hunting, fishing, and work on various landscaping, gardening, and construction projects. He also likes to play pickleball and basketball and learn more about investing. Cade’s friends, family, and peers describe him as kind, hardworking, ambitious, and eager to learn more.

“I have been involved with the Michigan AgrAbility program since I was in high school,” Cade said. “I was actively involved in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) at my school. About eight years ago, Ned Stoller and the team at Michigan AgrAbility showed me various wheelchairs that would allow me to continue showing pigs.”

In partnership with Easterseals MORC and Michigan State University Extension, Michigan AgrAbility provides assistance and services to farmers with disabilities, illnesses or aging conditions so they can continue to occupation and lifestyle they love.

Ned Stoller, Assistive Technology Professional at Michigan AgrAbility, shared that he’s been working with Cade for nearly a decade. He explained that Cade’s ambition and curiosity has allowed him to learn more about the agriculture industry and gain more experience.

“I am very proud of Cade’s success,” Stoller said. “Cade's ambition to work in agriculture has driven him to new heights with the assistive technology provided to him through Michigan AgrAbility and Michigan Rehabilitation Services. I congratulate Cade for all his new skills he’s learned this year, and I fully expect him to continue expanding his expertise in the future.”

Stoller also shared how Cade’s desire for more knowledge, gave him the opportunity and added responsibility at a job with the Michigan State University Fruit and Vegetable Research Farm in Benton Harbor, MI.

“This year, Cade landed a job where his original description was to mow the lawns around the large farmstead,” Stoller said. “By the end of the summer, he was tilling fields with tractors, spraying orchards, repairing gutters, and sorting produce. He’s a curious and hard worker who’s always willing to lend a helping hand.”

In 2024, Cade and his mom, Katrina, attended the National AgrAbility Training Workshop in Atlanta, GA. The workshop provided an opportunity for Cade, and other AgrAbility stakeholders to learn more about enterprises that work from a wheelchair, how to start agricultural businesses, and network with other individuals.

“The workshop was great,” Cade said. "I was excited to learn about different assistive technologies available to help me in my career as well as my peers in their careers.”

More recently, Cade attended the AgrAbility National Training Workshop in New Mexico where he was able to network with people from different regions of the country. 

"I was thrilled to be able to attend the AgrAbility National Training Workshop," Cade said. "In addition to networking, I loved getting to learn and collaborate with other farmers."

Bev Berens, Outreach and Communications Coordinator at Michigan AgrAbility echoed that Cade is a smart and ambitious young adult who has a bright future in agriculture. She explained that he has recently taken a leadership role in his local county Farm Bureau where he recently represented his county (Berrien County) at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention and MI.

“Cade is a powerful example of what can be accomplished with a little ingenuity and support,” Bev said. “He’s dealt with some setbacks and delays in reaching his goals, but he doesn’t let that stop him. He doesn’t quit or give up. He sees challenges as an opportunity to move forward.”

Cade's passion for agriculture has allowed him to receive a certificate in fruit and vegetable crop management from Michigan State University, and associates degree in agribusiness from Southwestern Michigan College, and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Ferris State University. He shared his extreme gratitude for the assistance and support he has received from Michigan AgrAbility team and other local organizations. He hopes to one day own and operate a farm.

“Ned and the team at Michigan AgrAbility helped me to get the equipment and modifications I needed to continue working on the farm,” Cade said. “The team helped me pursue my education in agriculture and continually make it easier for me to get my work done on the farm. I have nothing but positive experiences. They are amazing and they’re there for you, no matter how big or small your challenge is.”