Between the high costs of running a farm, unpredictable weather and fluctuating markets, farming can be a stressful profession — so much so that the suicide rate among farmers is an estimated three times higher than the general population.
“I grew up in the ‘80s on a dairy farm, and I can't think of anything more stressful than a dairy farm in the ‘80s. We were getting really low prices for our milk,” said Ty Higgins, a spokesperson for the Ohio Farm Bureau.
“We lost the farm and many farmers that worked in our community decided that they couldn't see life after agriculture and they took their lives. And we just mentioned it around the kitchen table and moved on. That's not how we're talking about it now.”
In order to better help Ohio’s farmers and address stressors in the field, the Ohio Agricultural Mental Health Alliance launched a farm stress survey last year. More than 600 people responded across 80 of the state’s 88 counties.
Here’s what they said.
What’s stressing Ohio’s farmers?
More than 40% of survey respondents said they sought out, or could have used, professional mental health or counseling services.
“I would say, because of the drought, we're seeing farm stress now at one of the highest levels that we probably have in our history,” Higgins said.
According to the survey — which was administered before the drought — Ohio farmers listed the following as their top stressors:
- The cost of land
- The cost of farm inputs, like feed, seed, fertilizers and pesticides
- Concerns for the future of farming due to factors like urban sprawl and industrialization
- The cost of fuel, maintenance, supply chain parts and the labor force
- Market prices for the products they’re selling
“We've seen a 23% decline in net farm income in the last two years. I don't know who that wouldn't stress out if our salaries were cut by a quarter and we had higher bills than we did just five years ago,” Higgins said. “That's stressful.”
What’s preventing farmers from seeking help?
Higgins said farmers are more likely to talk about mental health today than they were just a generation ago. But many are still hesitant to seek help.
The survey asked farmers why.
Dee Jepsen, a professor in agriculture safety and health at Ohio State University, said the top reason they gave was time.
“They just flat out said, ‘I don't have time to stop what I'm doing on the job to go take care of myself or to seek resources,’” she said.
Farmers also worried about the cost of care and whether it would be covered by their insurance, and some wondered if counseling would be worthwhile.
“About one in four farmers felt that these programs wouldn't be a benefit for them,” Jepsen said. “So that's a pretty big number.”
These farmers worried a counselor or therapist wouldn’t understand their culture, Jepsen explained, or would recommend solutions like taking a vacation, which are impractical in their line of work.
Possible solutions
The Ohio Agricultural Mental Health Alliance formed to merge the resources of Ohio’s agricultural community with local mental health services.
“Working together, we can bridge the gap of what resources are needed,” Jepsen said.
Now, armed with the knowledge this survey provided, she believes the coalition can do a better job of meeting Ohio farmers’ needs.
“Working together, we can bridge the gap of what resources are needed."Dee Jepsen, Ohio State University Professor
For example, Jepsen is part of a team working with OSU Extension to develop a ‘Farm Stress Certified’ program to train mental health providers on the culture and challenges of farming.
These providers need continuing education units to keep their licenses, Jepsen said, and many take courses on how to better serve first responders or veterans.
“So we thought, ‘Well, why not teach the counselors or give them a program to understand the stressors in farming?’” she said.
Over a thousand people have taken the training, and Jepsen’s team has created a directory to refer farmers to counselors who are farm stress certified.
She’s hopeful the resource will help farmers feel more confident in pursuing mental health help.
Farmers are resilient, she said. Almost three-quarters of survey respondents said they’ve learned to cope with stressors on the farm. Now, they have more tools to help when they can’t.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
