Special Contributor to FB.org
photo credit: Ohio Farm Bureau, Used with Permission
Special Contributor to FB.org
By Julie Murphree and Liz Foster
A strong majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing the farm impact farmers’ mental health, according to a national Morning Consult research poll sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation in recognition of May as Mental Health Month.
While some ways to manage stress are positive, others will obviously have a long-term negative impact.
With these pressures as a backdrop, there are clear signals to identify potential mental health crisis situations for farmers and ranchers, said Robin Tutor-Marcom, with North Carolina Agromedicine Institute. Her list of signals to be on the lookout for are below.
Tutor-Marcom, during a recent national conference of Farm Bureau safety and health coordinators, listed the most commonly diagnosed issues: relationship problems with spouses, parents and children (40%); adjustment problems such as anxiety and depression due to stress (24%); and anxiety disorders including excessive worry and panic (11%).
Farmers and ranchers, according to research, typically manage their stress in one of four ways.
While some ways to manage stress are positive, others will obviously have a long-term negative impact. And, if a family member recognizes some telltale signs, the experts suggest a few immediate ways to positively improve the situation.
Farm Bureau is advocating for programs that provide America’s farmers and ranchers with critical support and mental health resources and is urging Congress to fund $10 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, the level authorized in the 2018 farm bill.
Julie Murphree is outreach director at Arizona Farm Bureau. Liz Foster is executive director of Maricopa County (Arizona) Farm Bureau. This column was adapted from “Tamping Down the Stress Level on the Farm,” a blog post published by Arizona Farm Bureau.