More and more farmers are struggling with mental health. That is why Oregon State University has launched a new online resource, called “The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network,” or Farm-SAN for short.
Between the weather, commodity prices, and other issues, there is a lot of isolation in agriculture, and it is normal for producers to feel down.
“I think there is a perception that if you’re struggling with those sorts of problems, it’s maybe a character flaw,” OSU’s Cassie Bouska states. “I would encourage people to take a step back and realize that mental health problems like chronic depression, anxiety, things like that can actually be, I would consider them like an illness. I just think of it as having the flu basically, you’re not feeling well.”
She says that Farm-SAN can educate you about all the problems farmers face, the resources available, and how you can help your struggling neighbor.
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