Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative ’s Post

One of the busiest times of the year is underway with most of Australia’s grain growers and industry now harvesting crops. While you’re daydreaming on the header (or in the line of trucks at the receival site) about a relaxing post-harvest holiday, be sure to enter our competition offering $5000 in prizes to help you get away. We’re offering holiday prizes (including first prize of $2500) to help spread the word and encourage our grain growers to plan a break. This supports the theme of this year’s national mental health initiative which highlights the importance of farmers taking a break from work to stay fit, fresh and healthy. All you have to do is tell us in 25 words or less about your ideal holiday or destination away from the farm. The competition is open to Australian grain producers over the age of 18. More details and the entry form is on the GPA website (link in first comment). AgForce Queensland WAFarmers NSW Farmers Victorian Farmers Federation Grain Producers SA Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association Grain Growers Limited Nufarm Rural Aid Lifeline Au

When I told my father my decision was to leave the farm, it was more than a business decision - it was unravelling a part of my identity of generations of tradition. It’s an emotional journey, with gravity and guilt associated with such a choice. Some, like me, find pulling the trigger the most challenging part of moving on from the farm. Why is transitioning away from farming viewed as almost a betrayal? There are unwritten rules around why we attribute the greatest things in our lives to agriculture when perhaps we should be focusing more on the family and personal freedoms that matter most. Check out my recent blog to see the tough questions about mental health, changing dynamics in agriculture, and redefining success away from the fields we've known. https://lnkd.in/gvzpdQYp #agriculture #agribusiness #cdnag

Thoughts from the barn…. Did you know that May is Mental Health Awarness month? This is a somewhat taboo topic in agriculture and often carries a stigma in rural communities. When I talk to many of my friends that run their own farms or ag businesses, the ever increasing swings in market prices, weather volatility, high interest rates and input costs, along with consumer perceptions on social media can really take a toll. According to a February 2024 article in Scientific American, link here, simply highlight the link or copy and paste to your browser. https://lnkd.in/eGRbeMD6 There are some startling statistics in the farming and logging industries. If you see a farmer struggling, be kind, and more importantly care enough to ask, “How are you?” The American Farm Bureau also has some helpful links here, simply highlight and open the link or copy and paste to your browser…. https://lnkd.in/eUBAUxeR Hope this reminds us that we are all human, we all have good days and days when we can feel better. Do good!

Farming can be a demanding and isolating profession, with unique stressors that take a toll on mental health. That's why it's heartening to see initiatives aimed at supporting farmers gaining traction and making a difference. From peer support groups to mental health resources, these efforts are helping to break down barriers and foster a culture of openness and support within the agricultural community. #Farmers #MentalHealth #FarmerMentalHealth

Well, if anyone should be able to feel safe and secure in their livelihood, it’s farmers. After all, they are feeding us. But the way our crazy, ultra-capitalist system works, when you buy a cabbage in the supermarket, the farmer only gets about 1% - ONE PER CENT - of what you pay! The rest goes to middle-men in the supply chain, and to the shop. Supermarkets are forcing farmers to charge rock-bottom prices, and thus forcing many of them out of business. With such an astounding level of economic insecurity, it is no wonder they are asking for support with their mental health. If you live within reach of a farm, and they have a farm-gate shop – shop there! Cut out all those parasitic middle-men. My forthcoming book (out in July) will have loads of info about how to buy direct from farms, and how to buy #organic as well. On a related theme, what I’ve discovered at the Groundswell conferences is that many, many farmers would love to change over from large-scale, pesticide-intensive, monocrop farming to human-scale, organic, diverse farming – but they can’t afford to. The government needs to be subsidising and encouraging small, organic, family farms, not the giant industrial agri-business outfits that are ruining the countryside and fuelling the junk-food industry. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eR-NdgDN #FarmingNews #FarmingLivelihood #FarmingHealth #ProtectOurFarms #UKFarms #UKFarming #DrJennyGoodman #StayingAliveInToxicTimes #UKDoctor #HealthInstagram #EcologicalMedicine #Health #Wellbeing #Seasonal #Reading #Books

This is why the wonderful work that The Farming Community Network does is so important. There is someone there at the end of the phone to listen to and help farmers and anyone from within rural communities. See article from Matilda McCulloch Bovingdon around the demands of BACP #itsgoodtotalk #farmerswellbeing #ruralcommunities #mentalhealthissuesinruralcommunities #checkpeoplereallyareOK

The agriculture industry has been facing several challenges in recent years, including financial instability, physical isolation, and unpredictable crop yields due to climate change. These stressors have led to a mental health crisis among farmers and farmworkers. It's a problem that has long been overlooked, but thankfully, organizations like Migrant Clinicians Network are stepping up to help. We're incredibly proud of our staff member, Elizabeth Gonzalez Ibarra, who serves as a Farm Aid hotline operator connecting Spanish-speaking farmers and farmworkers to mental health services. This is a crucial step in addressing the mental health needs of those in the agriculture industry. Check out this article from Scientific American to learn more about the crisis and the efforts being made to support farmers and farmworkers: https://lnkd.in/dJsiDXcN

In the world of agriculture, mental health is a growing concern. Tara Klager's article "A Heavy Toll" delves into the struggles farmers face and the need for support. Let's spread awareness and prioritize the wellbeing of those who feed us. If you or someone you care about is struggling, support is available. Farmers in Canada can contact The Do More Agriculture Foundation at domore.ag. Farmers in the U.S. can contact Farm Aid at 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243) The full article can be read online here: https://lnkd.in/g3vh7K5t This article was originally published in the Summer 2022 issue of Sustainable Magazine, but we wanted to share this important reminder as we prioritize sharing posts focused on health this January. #Agriculture #SupportFarmers #SustainableFarming

Agriculture holds a unique place in business – it's a blend of community and family legacies. This deep connection means that when someone in farming fails, the impact is often far more profound than in most other industries. Farms are often multi-generational enterprises, built by families over time. They are not just businesses; they are lifestyles, and they represent the essence of who you are. This is what makes agriculture extraordinary, but it's also what intensifies the stress and pressure on new entrants and the next generation. The fear of failure in agriculture is paralyzing, perhaps 100 times more debilitating than losing a job or facing a business setback. Why do we take it so hard? It's because we've created it this way. The solution? Embrace transparency and open discussions. Failure is an option, and it doesn't mean the world is ending. Find out more about how the ag industry impacts mental health on our recent blog. https://lnkd.in/gDFkEw5A #agriculture #agribusiness #CdnAg

It's World Mental Health Day, and our food producers and land stewards are not okay. Suicide rates for farmers and ranchers are 3.5 times higher than the general population. This shouldn't be the reality period, but it especially shouldn't be in the healthy, ethical, and sustainable food system we need. Many typical consumers who’ve never stepped foot on a farm would guess terminal illness or a farm accident would consign farmers to an early grave but ask many farmers to share their greatest fear and expect to hear an answer that harkens back to an overwhelming amount of stress. Years of trying to protect their family land from encroaching banks or governments, unprecedented climate and market challenges, and vitriol from well-meaning, yet often misinformed consumers wear them down despite their love of farming. Are farmers and ranchers doomed to buckle under the weight of all of this stress? No. How we can support our farmers, ranchers, and food producers to alleviate mental health and stress challenges? Here are a few ways we can help: 1) Finance the transition to regenerative practices and support regenerative brands creating the demand for a regenerative supply chain. Regenerative farmers report improved physical, mental, and financial health compared to other farmers. 2) Lend a hand or at least an ear. Farming and ranching are inherently isolating. Facilitating social connection not only creates community but also offers support and knowledge exchange. I haven't met a single farmer who doesn't genuinely care about the welfare of their land, animals, families, and community. Oftentimes, the last thing on their list to care about is their own person. Let's change this. 3) Treat each other as fellow humans with feelings, not faceless commodities. Be a good neighbor and embrace #knowyourfarmer, #knowyourrancher, and #knowyourneighbor; we all have wisdom to share with each other. Like all of us, farmers and ranchers are more than the food they produce and are gateways to the connection to nature we inherently crave. 4) Buy and support farms directly in your community. Show genuine interest in how they are and the value they provide as nourishers of their communities. 5) Never curse a farmer with your mouth full. This needs no explanation. The mental health of our food producers matters. It’s time we encourage and remove barriers to giving them access to regenerative (in every aspect of the word) support. If you or someone you know are experiencing overwhelming stress, increased feelings of frustration or numbness, or thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call 988 - 24/7. Linked here is an article to learn more and view some resources, but please share any helpful resources or ways of support in the comments, and, as always, reach out if you need an ear. #worldmentalhealthday #mentalhealthmatters #farmersmatter #ranchersmatter #regenerativeagriculture #supportyourlocalfarmer #supportyourlocalrancher #farmercommunity #suicideprevention