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.

Two factors that make production agriculture an ideal occupation for many farmers — working in the country and being independent — are also catalysts for a mental health crisis in rural America. Isolation and the fierce independence in agriculture create an environment where mental health issues thrive, says Oklahoma State University Extension Professor of Economics Shannon Ferrell.

“Many common factors in production agriculture tend to isolate us, physically and emotionally,” Ferrell said. Ferrell explained that late in the 2010s rural America “was on the precipice of a farm crisis that looked a lot like the 1980s.”

The mental health equivalent of 911 is about to launch across the United States, but a new study finds that many communities may not be prepared for it. Beginning July 16, a new 988 number will be available 24/7 for Americans dealing with a mental health crisis. It's akin to 911, long used to get help for medical emergencies.

The new code will replace the 10-digit number currently used to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which was established in 2005. Health officials expect the easy-to-remember 988 to spur a surge in calls. The trouble is, few jurisdictions are ready for that, according to the new study, by the nonprofit research organization RAND Corp.