Ability Agriculture
Inclusive Employment & Safety Guide
Hello & Welcome
Welcome to Agriculture’s first guide to inclusive farm safety and employment for agriculture. The aim of this guide is to help provide an introduction to pathways, resources and support to navigate employment of persons with disability or impairment in agriculture.
Contact Details
abilty.agriculture@gmail.com
Brought to you in partnership with
INCLUSIVE
Farm Safety & Employment
GUIDE OVERVIEW
Employment pathways in agriculture for persons with disability
Supported
Employment
Self
Employment
Open
Employment
Funding for Employment supports and adjustments in agricultural enterprises
Employment Assistance
Fund
National Disability
Insurance Scheme
Subsidised Wage
System
Creating inclusive & Safe Agricultural Workspace
Employer and fellow employee supports
Free workplace assessment: Formal recommendations of adjustments and supports
Types of supports in agricultural workplaces
Case
Studies
Workplace Safety & liability
Workplace safety, wellbeing & discrimination
Documenting adjustments and approved workplace plans
Worker insurance and liability for persons with disability
State Based
Initiatives
Understanding This Guide
Building Safer and More Inclusive Farms
Farming is for everyone. Across Australia, people with disability have always been part of agriculture — as farmers, workers, innovators, and community leaders. Creating safe and inclusive farm workplaces ensures that everyone can contribute their skills and knowledge, helping the agricultural sector grow stronger, safer, and more resilient.
This Inclusive Farm Safety and Employment Guide has been developed to support farmers and agribusinesses to confidently employ, support and work alongside people with disability, while ensuring workplace safety for all.
Disability is diverse. It may be present from birth, or arise through illness, injury, or farm-related incidents. Every person’s experience and abilities are unique. By recognising and valuing these differences, farms can create workplaces where people can thrive and contribute in ways that suit them best.
This guide will help you:
Understand individual and employer responsibilities and opportunities in inclusive farm employment and safety
Learn practical pathways for creating safe and accessible workplaces
Connect with tools, funding, and support for workplace adjustments and employment pathways
By building inclusive farm workplaces, we not only open doors for people with disability — we improve safety and efficiency for everyone. Together, we can shape a rural future where every person has the opportunity to contribute and thrive safely.
Disability & Impairments
In Australia, disability is broadly defined under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological, and learning disabilities, whether permanent, temporary, visible, or invisible. The definition recognises that disability arises not only from impairments but also from the interaction with attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder full and effective participation in society.
The social model of disability, adopted in the Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031, emphasises that societal structures, practices, and attitudes can be disabling. This model shifts focus from the individual's condition to the need for inclusive systems that enable equal participation. Impairment refers to the actual condition or difference in body or mind, while disability reflects the limitations experienced due to societal barriers.
For employment and service access, disability may also be defined functionally — such as having a long-term condition that restricts everyday activities for six months or more, as used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Public Service Commission
Case Studies
Lincoln’s Story
At just 22 years old, Lincoln Budge’s life changed in an instant. A four-wheel-driving accident left him a paraplegic—an injury that could have taken him away from the land he loved. But Lincoln wasn’t finished farming. Through determination, adaptive equipment, and a deep commitment to the industry, Lincoln returned to agriculture with a renewed purpose. Today he works on the land while also using his voice to champion safety, inclusion, and better outcomes for people with disability across rural Australia. Lincoln’s story is a powerful reminder that accidents can happen to anyone—and that with the right support and inclusive practices, people with disability can not only return to agriculture, but thrive within it. This story is part of Ability Agriculture’s Inclusive Safety Series, proudly funded by the Victorian Government Farming Safe and Well Program, highlighting the real experiences shaping a safer, more accessible future for all. 🌱 Hear Lincoln’s story and help us build farms where everyone belongs.
Billy’s Story
On New Year’s Eve 2020, Billy’s life changed in a moment. A motorbike accident left him with severe spinal and lung injuries and a traumatic brain injury. Doctors told him he would never walk again. But Billy wasn’t done farming. With modified equipment—including a hand-operated tractor—and the support of his loyal dog Goose, Billy is back on his beef farm in Cobden, building the life he always imagined. His story is a powerful reminder that with the right support, innovation, and inclusive practices, agriculture can be accessible to everyone. This series by Ability Agriculture is proudly funded by the Victorian Government Farming Safe and Well Program, helping uncover and share stories that reimagine what’s possible for people with disability across our agricultural sector. 🌱 Today, on IDPwD, we celebrate people like Billy—farmers, workers, and community members whose contributions make our industry stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive.
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This guide was developed from the support and funding of the Victorian State Government Farming Safe and Well Program