So Iowa Concern, an Iowa State University extension program that helps farmers with financial, legal and mental health concerns, is creating a new state-funded initiative to help farmers specifically with the stresses of the pandemic, Krebs reports.
Many Midwestern farmers were already facing financial problems before the pandemic because of the trade war with China and more than a year of record-wet weather. But the pandemic has caused more problems, like an inability to sell crops, or get livestock to slaughterhouses, and the stress of having to euthanize healthy animals because there's no room on the farm for them. "In the Midwest, more than 300 family farms filed for bankruptcy in the 12-month period that ended in March. That was a 42 percent jump," Krebs reports.
One expert told Krebs that increased depression and stress could lead many farmers to experience post traumatic stress disorder, and that more may abuse alcohol and/or try to harm themselves. But many farmers may find it difficult to seek help because so many feel that their identity is tied to endurance and hard work.
The new Iowa Concern initiative will direct farmers who call to mental health resources. For those in other states, here are some farmer suicide prevention and mental-health resources:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (24 hours)
- Crisis Text Line: 741-741 (24 hours)
- Farm Aid farmer hotline: 1-800-327-6243 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern)
- National Farmers Union Farm Crisis Center
- Suicide warning signs: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2X7YqAV New Iowa program to help farmers struggling with mental health amid the pandemic; see nationwide resources too - Entrepreneur Generations
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