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AJ Taylor4 hours agoLast Updated: May 24, 2021
Families who make their living on farms often are exposed to situations beyond their control, causing them to experience exhaustion and distress. At any time, unstable prices, weather, crop or livestock disease, or equipment and communication breakdowns may make the reality of farm living difficult to deal with.
“May is Mental Health Awareness Month,” said Tim Christensen, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Farm stress certainly may affect mental health and it’s OK to acknowledge the stress you may be facing.”
Farm stress compounds already tough farm decision making, as high levels of prolonged or acute stress inhibit concentration, planning, calculation, and many skills that are necessary for the profitable management of a farm and the healthy functioning of the farm family, Christensen noted.
May 16, 2021
URBANA, Ill. – America s farm families are paying a heavy mental toll as they deal with unpredictable weather, variable input costs, long work hours, and unpredictable commodity prices. A gap exists between farm families and the resources they need to keep them safe.
University of Illinois Extension believes ag producers, agribusiness personnel, and others who support the agricultural community can stand in the gap and connect Illinois farmers with the resources they need. As their neighbors, customers, business partners, and clients, you may feel helpless, says Karla Belzer, Extension family life educator, but Illinois Extension can provide you the tools to identify mental health issues in our agricultural communities and the communication skills to support and save lives.
Depression, anxiety, and suicide are more prevalent among agricultural populations than the general public.
A lot of people work tough jobs where they don’t have much control. But instead of merely being annoyed by a Lumberghian boss, imagine your livelihood was at the mercy of the weather and global trade wars.
That’s farming. And it’s stressful. So much of what farmers experience is completely out of their control.
Josie Rudolphi
A new online resource, FarmStress.org, aims to help farmers manage stress, anxiety, depression, or substance use issues. It’s a project of the North Central Farm and Ranch Assistance Center, a 12-state collaborative based at the University of Illinois that is funded by the USDA via the Farm Bill.