CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 02/19/20

University of Georgia is marshaling its resources to battle farmer stress

By Merritt Melancon

Much like their counterparts across the nation, farmers in Georgia have experienced increased rates of suicide and stress over the last decade.

To help curb these statistics, an interdisciplinary team of researchers and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension faculty have teamed up to help understand the causes of rural stress and to build systems that can help rural communities support community members in crisis.

“The challenges of rural stress are complex, and involve everything from economics, to weather, to emotions. Having an interdisciplinary team is essential to tackling a multi-pronged problem like this,” said Anna Scheyett, dean of the UGA School of Social Work and a rural health advocate.

In a first of its kind survey of Georgia, researchers from the School of Social Work found that those in rural areas rated the stress of Georgia's farming population as high, an average of more than four on a five-point scale, and believed that farmers were more stressed than they had been a year ago.

Despite the survey participants' awareness of the stress in their community, only 36% of respondents reported being confident or very confident that they could help a friend or family member whose stress was reaching dangerous levels. About 33% reported having little or no confidence that they could help someone who was in crisis.

The survey, which was conducted in fall 2019 at the Georgia Farm Bureau Convention, was limited in scope, but gives a picture of the seriousness of the stress farmers are feeling and supports the stories shared anecdotally with those who work in rural areas for the past several years, Scheyett said.

“This study is valuable for a number of reasons, said Scheyett. “It confirms our concerns about stress levels and causes in farmers, and that many people in rural areas don’t know how to help someone whose stress has reached a crisis. It also helps us understand the best ways to get information to farmers and farming communities about taking care during times of high stress. The good news is that there are lots of things that can be done to manage stress—we just need to get the word out there.”

Anecdotally, farmers have shared their concerns about finances and unpredictable weather, but this survey helped provide some data to document the prevalence of those concerns.

About 72% of survey respondents cited weather as the top stressor for Georgia farmers. About 30% each reported finances and commodity prices as farmers’ top stressors. Survey respondents also identified social media, newsletters and magazines, Extension classes, and websites as the best ways to provide information on stress management to farmers. 

In an effort to help rural communities support farmers as they deal with increased levels of stress, UGA Cooperative Extension has launched a rural stress information clearinghouse at extension.uga.edu/rural. The site provides resources from experts across the country to help individuals recognize a neighbor in crisis and connect them with assistance. There are also numerous resources on health and wellness, financial planning, dealing with stress and much more.

In addition to the website, UGA Extension agents and specialists are working with farmers at commodity production meetings across southwest Georgia to jumpstart the conversation about health, both physical and mental. Extension agents, who serve in every county in Georgia and work closely with the agricultural community, can play a vital role in helping to normalize conversations about stress and mental health, said Laura Perry Johnson, associate dean for UGA Extension.

“I see us as a conduit between our audience and the people who can help them," Johnson said. "I'm not, in any way, trying to turn us into counselors. But their Extension agents and their bankers know when they're in trouble, and they trust us."

UGA Extension has partnered with local health care providers as well as the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to combine the resources and expertise of each organization.

“This is a complex, multi-faceted problem and UGA Extension is excited to convene a diverse team of experts to help us address this issue. So far, our efforts and educational resources have been very well received by farmers and several have followed up to avail themselves of the offered counseling and other services,” Johnson said. “My appreciation goes to all of our partners as well as the agriculture agents and specialists who care so deeply about the success and wellbeing of their clientele. This is a new area of education for us and slightly out of our area of expertise but, with the expertise of our partners, we are able to help farmers get the resources they need, and that is ultimately the role of Extension.”

For more information about rural stress in Georgia and what UGA is doing to help, visit extension.uga.edu/rural.

Merritt Melancon, a public relations manager for the UGA Terry College of Business, previously served as a public relations coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension.

Authors:
Merritt Melancon
Experts/Sources:
Laura Perry Johnson
Anna Scheyett
Decatur County farmer Bobby Barber, Jr., tells local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Nan Bostick about the day Hurricane Michael struck his farm. A recent survey by the University of Georgia School of Social Work shows about 72% of survey respondents cited weather as the top stressor for Georgia farmers.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Need help managing stress this holiday season? Try these 3 tips from UGA Extension 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry 10/10/24 Claire S. Kinnard, Matthew Agvent
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.
UGA Extension offers mindfulness and skills training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope. CAES News
UGA Extension offers training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope 09/30/24 Cal Powell
A train rumbles through the heart of downtown Tennille, Georgia. The southbound train cars are loaded with kaolin, the white clay that serves as the city’s main export. Avery Franklin sets his leaf blower on the ground, takes a seat on a park bench under a pecan tree and begins telling his story. He was 19 years old the first time he went to jail. He’s 63 now, released four months ago after a lifetime of petty crime. He’s sitting 3 miles from the Washington County, Georgia, jail cell where he spent most of the last three years of his life.
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices across the state. CAES News
UGA sponsoring radon poster contest for Georgia students 09/13/24 Rebecca Cantrell
Radon, an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., but it can be detected and mitigated with the help of local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offices across the state. Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in granite and rocky soils, so Georgia’s wealth of granite bedrock increases the chance of household radon for its residents.
For some students, heading back to school feels like entering a pressure cooker. Parents can ease anxieties by helping their students develop strategies for handling stressful situations. CAES News
Families should make a plan to manage back-to-school stress 07/29/24 Merritt Melancon
As summer draws to an end, both students and parents need to prepare for the return to school. While a new backpack and a collection of notebooks and pens might top their to-do list, students also need to prepare emotionally, said Diane Bales, a human development specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and a professor of human development and family science in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.