Mental Health Work in the Agriculture Industry

Farmers and ranchers are four to five times more likely to commit suicide than non-agriculturalists. According to Jessica Cabrera, American Farm Bureau Federation, managing director of member engagement and the lead for the AFBF Farm State of Mind campaign.

“Our farmers are incredibly marginalized when it comes to the statistics regarding suicide rates. So farm state of mind campaign exists to increase awareness and reduce stigma regarding mental health challenges for farmers and ranchers and also to increase access to information resources and training for farmer ranch communities.”

The program is geared not only to prevent suicide but to help farmers and ranchers with preventative and healthy ways to manage depression and anxiety that leads to suicidal ideation. Cabrera notes that among AFBF studies, there is one on reducing stigma.

“And we found that over the previous year prior to the study, there was a decrease in role adults saying that folks in their community, their friends or acquaintances, people that they were working with were attaching stigma to seeking health or treatment for mental health, but still there's a majority it was 59% that there is still stigma and 63% for farmers and farm workers.”

Cabrera says that State Farm Bureau organizations are offering training and education at grassroots levels and including mental health on meeting agendas, as well as hosting workshops to bring the topic to light.