According to a recent USDA economic research survey, 19% of farmers have a disability. This could include physical, cognitive or illness-related ones.

Jackie Allenbrand, PHARM Dog USA founder, set out on a mission to train rescue dogs for agricultural tasks. This Missouri-based organization’s goal is to help farmers with disabilities by giving them a right-hand man, or better yet, a right-hand dog.

PHARM stands for Pets Helping Agriculture in Rural Missouri, but the organization isn’t just for farmers in the Show-Me State.

At the Husker Harvest Days Hospitality Tent, you can meet Allenbrand and learn more about this program for farmers. From literature about the program to pictures of past farmer and dog placements to coloring pages for kids, the PHARM Dog booth is one to put on your list.

Finding funding can be difficult, and big companies like Channel Seed saw the need for this work.

PHARM Dog USA was the recipient of the Channeling Good Effort Award. The company will contribute funds and resources that will allow PHARM Dog to expand, reaching more farmers.

This niche type of training requires either a border collie or a Labrador along with a trainer that can prepare them for the hard work on the farm. So far, the group has placed 23 dogs with farmers to help with daily tasks on the farm.

Matching dog to farmer

To enter the program, farmers apply online at pharmdog.org. As the application goes through the process, the organization trains a dog — either a border collie for herding or a Labrador for retrieval and mobility purposes — based on the applicant’s needs.

If you have questions, check out the PHARM Dog booth at Husker Harvest Days this year or send an email to Allenbrand at [email protected].