Penn State Extension Team is Responding to Farm Stress

As concern has increased about the health and well-being of the farming community due to stressors associated with agriculture, Penn State Extension responded by forming a multidisciplinary Farm Stress Team. The team is comprised of educators with various backgrounds including agronomy, dairy, farm safety, food families and health, horticulture, nutrition, and farm business. The team is working to build capacity in the farming community to identify symptoms of depression and warning signs of a mental health crisis, to enhance communication with farmers under stress, and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. The team does not provide counseling, but instead, the team offers webinars and workshops during which participants learn about tools and help lines that are available to those experiencing a mental health crisis along with suggestions for communicating with farmers who are experiencing stressful times. The workshops target farmers, and their relatives, friends, and business partners, and can be provided for groups at their request. In addition, the team has created educational materials available on the Penn State Extension website.

Photo credit: Adriana Murillo-Williams, Penn State Extension

Why is the mental health of farmers a concern?

In recent years, mental health has drawn a great deal of attention as a growing problem at all levels of society, affecting children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. In the United States, during the last two decades, suicide rates have increased 40% (1), a trend increasing more rapidly in rural areas (2). As pointed out in a series of interviews, rural clinicians indicated that farmers tend to not to be proactive about their physical or mental health and will not seek help until their condition is critical (3). Accordingly, studies have indicated that farmers are among the occupational groups with high rates of suicide (1,4).

What are some factors that cause farmer's stress?

High input costs, elevated risk of injuries and pesticide exposure, low commodity prices, debt, new diseases that threaten plant and livestock health, being overworked, physically demanding tasks, natural disasters, and unpredictable climate are just a few of the chronic stressors farmers face throughout their lives. As a result, farmers and members of their families may experience mental health challenges like high levels of anxiety and depression.

As part of the farm community, we should be aware of the signs of distress affecting farmers and their families. Although we cannot remove all the sources of stress, we can learn about and utilize the available resources for guidance and support.

Feel free to reach out to our team members if you have questions or would like to request a workshop:

Ginger D. Fenton (Dairy Team and Farm Stress Team Leader)

Abbie E. Spackman (AgrAbility)

Adriana Murillo-Williams (Agronomy Team)

Amber Hughes (Food, Families and Health)

Chi Catalone (Food, Families and Health)

Christi (Graver) Powell (Energy Entrepreneurship and Community Development)

Cynthia Fisher (Food, Families and Health)

Cynthia Pollich (Food, Families and Health)

Elise Gurgevich (Food, Families and Health)

Jacque Amor-Zitzelberger (Food, Families and Health)

Jill Varner (Food, Families and Health)

Jon Laughner (Energy Entrepreneurship and Community Development)

Linda Fetzer (Ag Safety and Health)

Malu Tejada (Food, Families and Health)

Sonya Nace (Food, Families and Health)

Additional Resources

Stress and Mental Health

Mental Health and Stress for Agricultural Producers

Mental Wellness Series: Grief and Loss

Weathering the Storm in Agriculture: How to Cultivate a Productive Mindset

Communicating with Farmers Under Stress

Farm Stress in Times of COVID-19

Mental Health First Aid Webinars

References

1. Peterson C, Sussell A, Li J, Schumacher PK, Yeoman K, Stone DM (2020). Suicide Rates by Industry and Occupation — National Violent Death Reporting System, 32 States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 69:57-62.
2. Steelesmith DL, Fontanella CA, Campo JV, Bridge JA, Warren KL, Root ED (2019). Contextual Factors Associated With County-Level Suicide Rates in the United States, 1999 to 2016. JAMA Netw Open 2(9):e1910936.
3. Cole DC & MC Bondy (2020). Meeting Farmers Where They Are - Rural Clinicians' Views on Farmers' Mental Health. Journal of Agromedicine 25:1, 126-134.
4. Ringgenberg W, Peek-Asa C, Donham K, Ramirez M (2017). Trends and Characteristics of Occupational Suicide and Homicide in Farmers and Agriculture Workers, 1992–2010. The Journal of Rural Health 34:246-253.