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As the U.S. Census gears up for its 2010 count, advocates are working to ensure that people with disabilities have the knowledge and resources to take part. Traditionally, Americans with disabilities are an underrepresented group in the national count that’s conducted once every ten years. Reasons vary, but with high unemployment among this group and many living in institutions or restricted transportation-wise, just knowing about the census can be a hurdle.

HAMILTON — Ravalli County has the third-highest population of hired farm workers of any county in Montana, right behind Lake and Gallatin counties, according to the last census taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2007.At that time, there were 867 hired farm workers in the county, and at least 38 of those were migrant workers.According to Claudia Stephens, the strategic-planning specialist at the Montana Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Council, those numbers have held steady and Ravalli County still has one of the highest percentages of agricultural workers in the state.In order to provide seasonal and permanent farm workers with access to affordable and preventative health care, her agency has opened a new year-round clinic just north of Lolo.