Lawmakers Consider Mental Health Resources for Farmers – Agri-Pulse
By Noah Wicks
The unpredictability that comes with farming is one factor that can influence the well-being of producers. Crop success is contingent on timing and moisture, and the prices farmers receive for their products are dependent on demand and other external factors.
“It’s an occupation where there is so much out of an individual’s control,” Rudolphi told Agri-Pulse.
Addressing mental health in rural communities comes with its share of challenges, according to Chuck Strand, executive director of the nonprofit Rural Minds. Shortages of mental health professionals can force rural citizens to travel long distances seeking care, and telehealth may not be an option for those who lack internet access. The stigma associated with seeking mental health care can be another barrier, Strand said.
“If you’re growing up in a rural area or on a farm with the mindset that you don’t ask for help from anybody, you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, it can be especially challenging to confront a mental health challenge,” Strand told Agri-Pulse.
Lawmakers authorized FRSAN in the 2018 farm bill with the hopes of reducing some of these barriers.