Why Farm Safety Is a State of Body and Mind
September 26, 2020 Several years ago, I felt compelled to write an op-ed about being mindful of farm safety after a hometown farmer friend was badly injured in a freak accident. We often frame the farm safety discussion around potential physical dangers to the body, as I did in that op-ed. Farm safety rightly so focuses on working smart and patiently to avoid injury, but it also should include mental health considerations. Your profession presents many stresses by its very nature.
You have built your reputation as rugged individuals weathering the storms that come your way. It is well earned because, in my opinion, you face more uncertainty and worry doing your job than any other profession.
With that individualism comes a reticence to talk about stress that comes with farming and life in general. And, in agriculture, stress can pile up fast when crops fail or markets collapse. But just talking about it is a critical first step in addressing the stress and keeping mental health top of mind.
Remember, there are many resources available to help identify mental health stresses and where to seek help when issues arise. The American Farm Bureau Federation has great resources at fb.org/programs/farm-state-of-mind.
The Bureau conducted a national poll last year (before COVID-19) that unveiled stress among rural and farming America. Farmers and farmworkers surveyed said financial issues (91%), farm or business problems (88%), and fear of losing the farm (87%) impact farmers’ mental health. Other factors included stress, weather, the economy, isolation, and social stigma.
That same poll showed large majorities of rural Americans agreed that cost, social stigma, and embarrassment would make it harder for them to seek help or treatment for mental health conditions. That’s where that rugged individualism tendency needs to be set aside when help is needed.
Identifying when a mental health problem is building in yourself and in others is vital. Only 55% of farmers surveyed said they would be confident to spot warning signs of a developing mental health condition. Again, there are many resources available to help here.
The key is taking action early when signs of trouble appear. Having dealt with major depression in my family, I can attest that waiting only makes the challenge harder to overcome. Thankfully, it was overcome in my family. It can be in yours, too. If you are having issues with stress, it is more than OK to seek help. It will help you and could inspire others to seek assistance as well.
Mental health is just like a crop. It must be attended to and nurtured daily. We’ve done a great job preaching about the importance of farm safety — let’s just make sure we include our state of mind in that conversation.
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