Rural Minds Founder & Chairman Jeff Winton Appears on The Crop Insurance Podcast

Rural Minds Founder & Chairman, Jeff Winton, recently joined host Mike Rydell on The Crop Insurance Podcast.

“In this episode of the Crop Insurance Podcast, I’m joined by Jeff Winton, a dairy farmer and the founder/chairman of Rural Minds — a national nonprofit focused on improving mental health equity in rural America. Jeff shares the personal story that sparked Rural Minds, what he’s hearing across farm communities, and practical ways to start the conversation, reduce stigma, and connect people to real help.

We also walk through Rural Minds’ Rural Mental Health Resilience Program — a “meeting-in-a-box” toolkit with free, downloadable materials that local groups can use right away.”

00:00 — Quick intro + content note (mental health & suicide)
04:27 — Who is Jeff Winton + what is Rural Minds?
05:50 — The story that changed everything (2012)
11:53 — Breaking the silence: what happened after the funeral
14:36 — Why Rural Minds launched (and why it waited until 2022)
17:56 — “Rural people don’t talk about it” — stigma & small-town reality
21:34 — What reception looks like in rural communities (stories people share)
30:00 — Telehealth, broadband gaps, and what still works
34:41 — The hardest (most important) question to ask someone
37:05 — Partnering with trusted local orgs (Grange, schools, faith, etc.)
39:49 — Screen share: Rural Minds website walkthrough
40:46 — Rural Mental Health Resilience Program (“meeting in a box”)
51:39 — 988 + how to reach ongoing local help
53:27 — Final message: hope, help, and where to start today