It’s no surprise that farmers’ behavioral health is positively correlated with crop production and healthy animals.

In 2016, the CDC published data on suicide rates by occupation from 2012 to 2015. It was one of only a few articles that attempted to summarize suicide rates by occupation. This data showed that farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers had a suicide rate higher than the general population.

We are all familiar with the common stressors in agriculture. It’s easy to point to price swings, government regulations, land competition, weather and disease when we talk about stress on the farm.

There are a lot of farmers in their 30s and 40s who don’t know what their future looks like.  The truth be told: 77% of farms don't have a succession plan. And this obviously has a lot to do with why only 12% of farms pass onto the third generation!

Increasing feed costs. Weather. Mastitis. Working with family. Sick calves. Changing contracts. Paperwork. Bad silage. Your brother-in-law. The list of stressors on a dairy farm is long. Unfortunately, most of them are also chronic. 

The demands of life and the dynamics of society are increasing the mental and emotional strain on many of us. This is true in all walks of life, including Idaho’s rural agriculture communities.

Results from the 2022 Pennsylvania Animal Agriculture Mental Wellness Survey, which was developed to generate a baseline snapshot of the state of mental wellness in Pennsylvania agriculture. One of the key objectives was identifying potential needs relative to mental health for livestock producers.

When we hear the word “burnout,” we likely conjure up a bunch of images in our head: someone that has fallen asleep at their desk, a person that looks overly tired and seems a little too disorganized, the ever-popular rubbing of the temples with a deep sigh.