Healthy minds, safer farms
Farming and ranching are noble jobs, but they aren't easy. Agriculture thrives when people are supported. The well-being and safety of our farmers, ranchers, and their families are just as important as caring for the land.
FREE webinar on Nov. 19 from NDSU on bullying
Parents and other adults frequently raise concerns about the negative fallout that seems all too common when kids are engaged online, whether on social media or other online settings. Such issues now rank as the number one concern for parents, according to national data. Learn more here.
NDSU Extension to offer free mental health support training webinars
Research shows that people working in agriculture experience higher rates of stress and suicide than in many other occupations. Studies also indicate that strong social support and access to helpful resources can significantly reduce stress levels and suicide risk.
To help address these challenges, North Dakota State University Extension will offer three "Question. Persuade. Refer." (QPR) suicide prevention webinars this coming winter season: Dec. 9 at 11:30 a.m., Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. and Feb. 10 at 11 a.m.
The free, 90-minute webinars will focus on the unique stressors facing people in agriculture and the impact those pressures can have on mental and emotional well-being.
Similar to how CPR training prepares people to respond during a medical emergency, QPR training equips participants to recognize the warning signs of mental health distress or suicidal thoughts. Participants will learn practical skills to approach someone with compassion, offer support and connect them with appropriate resources.
"A consistent message we want people in agriculture to hear is that it's OK to not be OK and that help is available," says Sean Brotherson, NDSU Extension family science specialist. "Your health is your most important resource for daily well-being, and this training helps us put health first."
The webinars will be facilitated by Katie Henry, NDSU Extension agent for Cavalier County; Jill Sokness, NDSU Extension agent for Cass County; and Madeleine Smith, NDSU Extension state pesticide specialist.
Although the training is designed with agricultural producers, farm families and others working in agriculture in mind, anyone interested in learning suicide prevention skills is welcome to participate. The training is free and is supported through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Registration is limited to the first 30 participants. Register for any webinar at ndsu.ag/QPR-winter26-27.
For more information, contact Adriana Drusini at adriana.drusini@ndsu.edu or Brotherson at sean.brotherson@ndsu.edu.
AFBF's Farm State of Mind website offers a 5-part video series called Finding Hope Together to help people realize that they are not alone. In this first episode, host Lydia Johnson has candid conversations with farmers Davis Peeler (South Carolina), Steve Breeding (Delaware), and Whitney Lawson (Oklahoma) as they share firsthand experiences navigating the mental load of farming — from loss and divorce to farm disasters. This episode dives into the realities of the agricultural way of life, offering a message of hope and actionable advice for how to support farmers through difficult seasons.
Togetherall Online Peer-to-Peer Support
Reaching out for support is a proactive step you can take on your journey. We're all in this together and supporting each other through difficult times is what makes us stronger.
Free-of-charge access for farm families age 16+. Made possible by the Farm State of Mind Alliance.
Farmers and ranchers understand that their job comes with high stress, high demands, and threat of loss. There are many variables in agriculture beyond one's control. So we're often responding to many unpredictable circumstances, and that can have a profound impact on how our nervous system reacts. Learning how to manage stress within farming and ranching is important.
The reality of life is that stress can affect anyone, anywhere, anytime. There is no one who is an exception from experiencing stress and adversity at some point, or many points of life, especially farmers and ranchers since so many factors about this occupation and lifestyle are uncontrollable and unpredictable.
Q: What is stress?
A: Stress is a natural response. It is meant to be activated temporarily, and once the stressor(s) is eliminated, it subsides. It is not meant to be activated for days, weeks or months on end.
Q: How is chronic stress different from stress?
A: Chronic stress leads to a nervous system that does not return to baseline range easily. Chronic stress changes how the brain is activated and wired. A stress response/trauma response can occur from a one-time event or from repeated exposure to adverse events. Long-term stress can lead to symptoms associated with anxiety and depression and might require additional support to manage and recover from the effects.
Q: Is chronic stress just in the mind?
A: Both the brain and body experience the effects of chronic stress and adversity. These reactions can be immediate, delayed, long-term or triggered by past stressors/adverse life events. Sometimes you will find you are not just reacting to the present situation because of the way that highly stressful events get stored in the brain, so you might be responding to present and past stressors all at once as they can accumulate over time if the effects are not resolved.
Symptoms of Chronic Stress
Resources
This Straight Talk podcast episode features Dr. Amy Missling talking about farm stress and building mental resilience.
Dr. Josi Rudolphi was a featured workshop speaker at the NDFB Farm and Ranch Conference several years ago, but her tips on how to deal with farm stress still make sense. Rudolphi serves as a liaison between the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She grew up on a farm in rural Iowa.
American Farm Bureau Federation's initiative Farm State of Mind, provides a number of resources as well.