Rural Minds Founder & Chairman Comments on Challenges Facing Local Farmers due to Lack of RaiN - Post-Journal
Jeff Winton, founder and CEO of Rural Minds, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Chautauqua County that focuses on mental health equity for the 46 million people who live in rural America, noted that it is not just the weather this year that has been causing stress for farmers, but a lot of what is going on in the world as well. He added that the amount of extreme weather conditions seen across the country this year are not helping the matter either.
“Farmers across this country have been confronted with extreme weather conditions this year, from California to Texas to the Midwest to the Northeast,” Winton said. “Regardless of what commodities are being raised, farmers are under more stress and pressure this year than during the past several years. Already nervous about new tariffs and a shrinking labor force and other issues resulting from decisions being made in Washington, extreme weather conditions are exacerbating the anxiety and depression levels of these hard-working people who raise our food and fiber.”