The agriculture business has become increasingly unstable. Financial uncertainty, physical isolation and increasingly unpredictable crop yields linked to climate change are just some of the stressors that are fueling a mental health crisis among farmers. The anxiety can be overwhelming—especially in many farming communities that have historically struggled with access to mental health services and the stigma of seeking help. A recent CDC study of occupational suicide risk found that male farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers had a suicide rate more than 50 percent higher than the overall suicide rate of men in all surveyed occupations. Research also suggests that farmers have increased risk of heart disease caused in part by chronic stress and hardships from the job.

From epidemic illnesses impacting pigs to falling commodity prices to increasing farm debt load, many factors cause stress among pig farmers today. Find out how to recognize the warning signs of stress, practical ways to deal with tough times and 3 tips to get your health on track in Farm Journal’s PORK’s new e-book, “Your Guide to Mental Health.” As National Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, check out these 10 articles that tackle mental health and suicide awareness to help reduce the stigma so many experience.

Ambassador Susan Rice, director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council, laid out the Biden administration's plan to address the nation's burgeoning mental health crisis during an online briefing hosted by the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy and the Commonwealth Fund on Wednesday afternoon. Rice cited a report from 2019 that showed that one in three high school students said they felt persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the prior year – a 40% increase from a decade earlier. Additionally, teen suicide rates jumped by 57% from 2007 to 2018, with Black teens twice as likely to complete suicide versus white teens.