Stress and Demands

About the Series

Welcome to the second fact sheet in our series, offered by Penn State Extension! In this series, you'll discover helpful insights and practical strategies for implementing important safety protocols. You'll also get advice and techniques for achieving optimal personal health and wellness.

Your dedication to farming doesn't go unnoticed—we see the hard work, passion, and long hours you invest to bring food to our tables. Balancing the demands of the farm with your personal life, especially when the busy seasons hit, requires a unique level of commitment. We genuinely admire your unwavering spirit.

Now, let's talk about stress. Stress is like weather: ever-changing and affecting each of us differently. There's short-term stress (the kind that pops up and disappears) and long-term stress (the persistent companion in the background). There's positive stress that drives us to achieve our goals and excel (something mental health professionals call eustress). Then there's negative stress—the heavy burden that can feel overwhelming (also referred to as distress).

It's crucial to recognize that feeling stressed is normal. We all experience it, and it's a testament to your resilience that you keep going despite the challenges. However, managing stress is key. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need a listening ear or a helping hand. Whether you talk to a friend, a family member, or a mental health professional, sharing your feelings can make a world of difference (Michigan State University Extension, 2020).

You're not alone in this journey. There’s a whole community standing by you, ready to offer support. Your well-being matters, and you deserve all the help you can get.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or in a crisis, call 988 or text 741741 for help.

Signs and Symptoms of Stress
(Source: Windon et al., n.d.)

• Backaches
• Exhaustion
• Anger
• Memory loss
• Poor judgment
• Panic attacks
• Weight gain or loss
• Change in blood pressure

Field Stories: Confronting Stress

Like many farmers, Gene's increasing expenses forced him to take a full-time job on top of his farm duties. He and his family have each felt a sense of failure, loss, and grief at being unable to make ends meet.

Gene (Elk County) is now in his seventies but says, "Farmers don't retire." He recognizes that he can't work as much as he used to, but he also knows that the chores and the expenses continue. "This is stressful," he says. "I don't know how we are supposed to keep doing it."

Strategy: Practice Positive Reframing

(Source: Ackerman, 2017)

Cognitive distortions, also known as "stinking thinking," are mind habits that make us see things in a negative or exaggerated way. It's important to spot them as they're happening because, when we do, we can work on them in the moment. This helps us feel better and see things more clearly. Here are a few examples of stinking thinking:

• All-or-nothing Thinking: Seeing things as only good or bad, with no in-between. Example: A farmer feels like a failure because one crop didn't yield as expected.

• Overgeneralization: Thinking one bad thing means everything is bad. Example: After a single bad season, a farmer believes they'll never succeed in farming.
• Discounting the Positive: Ignoring good things and focusing only on the bad. Example: Despite buyers praising the field corn's quality, the producer brushes it off as just luck, failing to acknowledge their own skill.

Recognizing negative thinking before it gets out of hand helps you stay calmer and think more clearly. It means you can catch yourself before believing untrue or unhelpful thoughts. By spotting these patterns, you can learn to see situations more realistically, which leads to feeling better and handling problems more effectively.

Safety First

(Source: Brown and Fetzer, 2021)

Fatal and nonfatal injuries related to confined agricultural spaces happen every year. They are caused by hazards of flowing grain and grain storage. Using best practices and easily installed products can significantly reduce the number of times a farmer or farm worker should need to enter a grain bin. This decreases many of the safety risks related to working around grain and grain storage structures.

Ways to reduce grain bin entry:

• Follow best practices when harvesting and storing your commodity at the recommended moisture level. Out-of-condition grain is one of the main factors in entrapment and engulfment incidents.
• Commercially available products such as bin level indicators to monitor grain levels and clump-busting equipment to promote proper grain flow can decrease the need to enter the bin.
• If someone needs to enter a grain bin, they should have a properly fitted harness and lifeline system attached to a manufacturer-installed anchor point.
• Fall protection systems and spiral staircases on grain bins improve access and reduce the risk of slips, trips, and falls.
• Use lock out/tag out to shut down and secure energy sources.

For More Information

Call

• AgriStress Helpline: 833-897-2474 (24/7).
• National Suicide Hotline: 988.
• Rural Response Hotline:
  800-464-0258 Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Free personal counseling and financial/legal services.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Listen

Penn State Extension hosts a concise, practical, real-talk podcast on farm stress.

Visit

For more information about this publication or the Farm Stress initiative, see Penn State Team Responding to Farm Stress.

References

Ackerman C. 2017. "Cognitive Distortions: 22 Examples & Worksheets (& PDF)."

Brown S and Fetzer L. 2021. "Best Practices and Products to Reduce Grain Bin Entry." Penn State Extension.

Michigan State University Extension. 2020. [PowerPoint]. "Communicating with Farmers Under Stress."

Windon S, Plaza CH, Spackman AE, and Robotham D. (n.d.). "The Farmer Stress Management Toolbox Part 2." Penn State Extension.