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Have you ever missed a special family event like a parent-teacher conference or a family reunion because you were overwhelmed with work around the farm? Like education, the process of farm planning provides a roadmap that reduces confusion and ambiguity which will reduce stress levels. Reports about big data, precision farming, complex marketing strategies, as well as the latest changes in farm programs and tax policy are now commonplace in most major farm news outlets. Families and farm couples who handle stress well communicate freely. If you are concerned about drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and your health and personal safety or the health and safety of a loved one, support and assistance are available (Donham & Thelin, 2016).

Customizable Signs and Symptoms of Stress Poster

It said that wellbeing of farmers aged over 61 has had the sharpest decline, despite them historically being the most resilient group. The Farm Safety Foundation said its research has found that mental wellbeing measured in 765 farmers across the UK lags that of the general population. When neglected or untreated, anxiety and depression can lead to a reduced quality of life , absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/recovery-resilience-resource-library/mental-health-technology which reduce productivity and output , and agricultural-related injury .

University of Minnesota Extension

Therefore, developing bespoke, in-person counselling support to supplement existing services, and ensuring this is available on-demand consistently across England and Wales, has been a focus for the charity over recent months. “While it is the hardest step to take, having made that first step, there will be people and services who can help.” Age was another key factor, and the survey showed that those of “working age” – in the years-old category – had worse mental health than the UK population as a whole, and this “mental wellbeing gap” was widest in the age group. “We asked people how often they left the farm for leisure purposes and how often they took a holiday,” said Dr Wheeler. Prof Lobley added that there was a need for Defra and the government to recognise the degree of vulnerability within farming.

• There is scarce research comparing work-related stressors and mental health conditions between men and women farmers in the U.S.
• Of those, 22.6% met the criteria for mild anxiety disorder, 6.8% met the criteria for moderate, and 4.5% met the criteria for severe, based on symptoms.
• "I took on all the pressures and all the challenges within the farming system, but I also delved into farming 24/7 – not going off the farm and doing anything," he said.
• With the ongoing threat of water scarcity, falling water allocations, water reform, and drought in Australia, Wheeler et al. found that some irrigators in particular industries have higher mental health problems than dryland farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin.
• Additional resources are available on the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center website at farmstress.org/.
• Access to the platform is available to members of a farm family aged 16 and older.

Connecting Producers with Practitioners

Recognizing the growing need to address this issue and provide resources, Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) research project teams are leading an innovative research project to better understand farmers’ mental health. Farm families and rural communities navigate a complex web of financial, social, and environmental challenges, which can contribute to elevated rates of stress, anxiety, and depression. The four most-cited risk influences on farmers’ mental health included pesticide exposure, financial difficulties, climate variabilities/drought, and poor physical health/past injuries. The findings of this systematic review support the view that farmers’ mental health issues are a result of a complex interplay between social, environmental, and economic factors. While there is extensive evidence that farming is a complex and demanding occupation with various risk factors, we suggest that access to primary care and specialist ongoing services for rural and remote communities needs greater priority. Also, it has been argued that while the traditional masculine hegemony of male farmers can be a benefit to them during good times, in times of heightened stress (like drought), it can lead them to fail to address their mental health needs .

Understanding the root causes of farm stress is essential for developing effective coping mechanisms and support systems. In the San Luis Valley, Colorado – community leaders have voiced increasing concern for the behavioral health of workers in the agriculture industry. This training educates healthcare providers on how to assess occupational agricultural risks and corresponding patient guidance for those who are taking opioid medications. This session is designed to spark discussion, ideas, collaborations between community and governmental groups to thoughtfully build a mental health safety net across cultures. This session is a panel presentation that communicates a forward vision addressing disparities in agricultural mental health. If you’re a farmer veteran in agriculture, someone who works with and wants to better understand veterans, or someone simply interested in the challenges and opportunities veterans in agriculture face today, be sure to tune in.