Green Heron Tools SBIR grant
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Transcript of Green Heron Tools SBIR grant
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Need for & feasibility of designing, producing & marketing agricultural tools & equipment
for women
Ann M. Adams, RN, MSN Elizabeth A. Brensinger, MPH
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Market growers for 13+ years at Green Heron Farms
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Initial idea resulted from:Our own experience with tools & equipment Conversations with other women growers at
farmers’ markets Affiliations with Pennsylvania Women’s
Agricultural Network, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
Backgrounds in public health, nursing
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Company evolutionFormed in 2008, to provide high-quality agricultural and
gardening tools designed to work with the bodies of women, thereby maximizing comfort, efficiency, productivity and safety.
Online survey posted summer 2008Target: women farmers, market growers, gardenersData requested:
Needs, problems, experiences with tools & equipment Recommendations for change, potential solutions
See www.greenherontools.com for full surveyReview of literatureSubmission of SBIR grant; received April, 2009
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Changing demographics in U.S. agriculture1997-2002
4% in number U.S. farms13% in farms operated by women
2002-200729% in farms operated by women,
compared to 3.6% increase in all U.S. farmsU.S. Department of Agriculture: 75% of U.S.
farms could be owned or co-owned by women by 2014
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Women’s farms – trends “Small”: 53.5% between 1 and 49 acres (U.S.
Census of Agriculture, 2007)Characteristics (Charney, 2005)
DiversifiedSustainable / organicPart-time vocationValue-addedDirect-marketed Less mechanized
Average age of woman farmer: 52.6 (USDA)
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Women & food production: a global viewRural women produce half of the world’s food
and 60% to 80% of the food in most developing countries (Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
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Need for tools /equipment designed for womenAnatomical differences (various sources)
40-75% less upper-body strength5-30% less lower-body strengthSmaller statureMore adipose tissueNarrower shouldersWider hipsProportionally shorter legs & armsSmaller grips
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Need for tools/equipment designed for womenAnthropometric / human factors data
National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey: Significant differences between male & female agricultural workers in 9 / 14 anthropometric variables (Hsiao et al., 2002)
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Implications for health & safety: examplesWhole-body vibration affects women more than
men (McCoy et al., 2002)Excessive physical strain = injuries in women
(Pickett et al., 1995; McCoy, 2000)Elevated risk for musculoskeletal disability
(McCoy et al., 2002) Work-related musculoskeletal disabilities = leading
cause of disability for people in working years Lower back disorders most prevalent
Need for tools / equipment designed for women
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4 factors influencing lower back disorders (Fathallah et al., 2004):Heavy physical workLifting and forceful movementsBending and twisting (awkward postures)Whole-body vibration
All 4 influenced by design & fit of toolsU.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
(2001):1 of the 2 best ways to reduce work-related
musculoskeletal disorders: redesign of tools
Need for tools /equipment designed for women
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Lack of tools / equipment designed for womenSearches conducting using these databases
AGRICOLAApplied Science & Technology AbstractsAmerican Society of Agricultural & Biological
Engineers’ Technical LibraryElectronic resources of National Agricultural LibraryNational Technological Information ServiceUSDA’s Current Research Information System
No evidence of efforts to redesign tools / equipment for women in U.S. or Canada; limited efforts in India
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Funded in part by USDA Small Business Innovative Research grant
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Methodology Online survey (n = 218; 105 self-identified
farmers / market growers; 113 gardeners) Four focus groups with 26 participating
farmers / market growers Oregon (Pacific Northwest) Vermont (n = 2) (Northeast) Iowa (via conference call) (Midwest) (pilot focus group at Penn State)
Interviews with 13 women Input obtained from women in 32/50 states
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Survey results
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Too heavyShafts too long Handles too highNot well-balanced for female usersMechanized equipment too heavy, difficult to
controlPull strings too long (gas engines)Mechanized equipment too noisy
General findings (re: tools/equipment)
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Focus groups / interviewsGeneral support for survey findingsAnecdotal evidence regarding health
problemsIn all 3 face-to-face focus groups, women cited
histories of disabilities & injuries, including: Sore backs / back injuries (sprained sacrum; back
surgery; general soreness) Arthritis Torn tendons
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What now?Identification & sale of existing tools &
equipment that work well for womenE-commerce site up later this year
Design of new tools (SBIR grant)
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Process for choosing toolsRecommendations from surveys, focus
groups, interviews, other women farmersPurchase / acquisition of toolsTesting & evaluation by women farmersAnalysis of data from evaluationsIdentification of tools that work best for
women
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Design team: Penn State members
Aaron Yoder, ag engineering; Angie Hissong, occupational therapist / AgrAbility; Andy Freivalds, ergonomist, manufacturing engineer;
Jesun Hwang, doctoral student
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Deliverables include:Set of design parameters for
tools/equipment designed for womenPrototypes of three hand toolsGeneral design concepts for a rototiller
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Criteria/Design ConsiderationsHigh quality
DurableReliableEffective for defined task
ErgonomicBased on anthropometric / human factors dataAs simple as possible to maintain and operate
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Criteria/Design ConsiderationsSafe to use
Include a description of how to use tool correctly
As “green” or sustainable as possible without compromising effectiveness and strengthMaterials, fuel (if applicable), manufacturing
processReasonable cost / good value