Penn State Extension Team is Responding to Farm Stress

In response to the growing concern about the health and well-being of the farming community due to stressors associated with agriculture, Penn State Extension formed the Farm Stress Team, which is comprised of educators with various backgrounds including agronomy, dairy, farm safety, food families and community, horticulture, nutrition, and farm business. The team’s objectives are to build capacity in the farming community (farmers, relatives, friends, business partners) to identify symptoms of anxiety and depression and warning signs of a mental health crisis, to enhance communication with farmers under stress, and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Photo credit: Adriana Murillo-Williams, Penn State Extension

The team does not provide counseling. Instead, the team offers webinars and workshops during which participants learn about tools and helplines that are available when somebody is experiencing a mental health crisis and how to improve communications with farmers under stress. The workshops can be offered to groups at their request. In addition, the team has created educational materials available on the Penn State Extension website. 

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 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.

For more information on scheduling training for your organization, contact the farm stress team below.

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

Abbie E. Spackman (AgrAbility)

Adriana Murillo-Williams (Field and Forage Crops Team)

Amber Hughes (Food, Families, and Community)

Ashley Isaacson (Field and Forage Crops Team)

Chi Catalone (Food, Families, and Community)

Cynthia Pollich (Food, Families, and Community)

Florence Becot (Agricultural Safety and Health)

Jacque Amor-Zitzelberger (Food, Families, and Community)

Jill Varner (Food, Families, and Community)

Linda Fetzer (Ag Safety and Health)

Maureen Ittig (Food, Families and Community)

Ryan Spelman (Field and Forage Crops Team)

Sonya Nace (Food, Families, and Community)

Suzanna Windon (Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education)

Additional Resources

Communicating with Farmers Under Stress

Mending the Stress Fence

Mental Health First Aid Webinars

Mental Wellness Series: Grief and Loss

Navigating Farm Stress Resources

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

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.