Farmers’ Mental Health Is at Risk

In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce

Farmers are a tough breed, but mental health issues affect them at alarming rates.

“The pressure of the world is on the shoulders of a farmer because most of the success of the farm relies on the unknown,” says Gayle Clark, director of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s Agriculture Workforce Education, Outreach and Development division. “Farmers work 12 to 14 hours a day, hoping for a crop to sell in six to eight months at a good price, or ensuring a herd of livestock stays healthy and growing until they go to market, all while making the profit from last year’s work last until the next harvest to support their family, feed animals and plant the next crops.”

See more: Helping Farmers’ Mental Health

Recent studies have shown an increase in mental health challenges among agriculture workers. In fact, farm owners, managers and workers have the fourth-highest rate of suicide of any profession in the U.S. 

“Most farmers are isolated from social interaction. They don’t tend to share their financial struggles because they are proud of the work they do but ashamed to ask for help,” Clark says. “The stress is internalized, and it eventually affects their overall health, especially their mental health.”

To make matters more challenging, rural areas where farmers live often don’t have adequate resources to serve these mental health needs. 

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers are beginning to have more conversations about mental health and trying to bring the reality of it to the forefront,” Clark says.

In 2022, Mississippi State University Extension released the docuseries On the Farm, featuring four Mississippi and Alabama farmers as they deal with the daily stresses of farm life. Produced in collaboration with the MSU Television Center, the film premiered on Mississippi Public Broadcasting in June 2022 and won two regional Emmy Awards. 

“Our goal with the film is threefold – to educate the public on the challenges farmers face, connect with farmers and let them know they are not alone in their struggles, and an educational tool with healthcare providers,” says Dr. David Buys, state health specialist with MSU Extension.

See more: Managing Farm Stress: Helping Farmers Navigate Mental Health

Clark and Buys agree the most important thing farmers can do when experiencing stress is talk to someone.

“Talk to your primary care doctor, family and friends, or your pastor,” Buys says. “Talk to your Extension agent and look for upstream solutions. Don’t ignore the mental and physical stress you are feeling.”

You can watch the award-winning film On the Farm online at onthefarm.life.