Farm stress after a bad year

BY MIKE MUMAH By most accounts, 2019 was a particularly bad year for Michigan farmers.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA),

Ag-1 NAPA 2019 was the wettest year on record. Flooding and oversaturated fields in the spring rendered 19.4 million acres of cropland seedless, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most of this farmland was in the Midwest. Coupled with a trade war with China, which has caused even more belt-tightening, 2020 has not started out well for Michigan farmers under stress.

“This has been a particularly difficult growing season

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for Michigan farmers,” said Eric Karbowski, an educator on farm stress for Michigan State University (MSU) Extension in Mount Pleasant. “Initially, a lot of farmers weren’t able to get their crops into the field.”

Managing a farm, like any other business, has a lot that goes into it. Market prices rise and fall. Disease and weather all factor in. When both factors play a part, farmers in particular can feel it the most.

“I think the occupation of farming in general has a lot of stress attached to it,” Karbowski said. “Commodity prices are one, dairy prices have been hit particularly hard. There are all these uncontrollable factors that create farm stress.”

MSU Extension wants to let Michigan farmers know that there are resources available to them.

“One of the main things in discussions and presentations that I’ve been doing is creating awareness about the topic,” Karbowski said. “Having a better understanding and some self-awareness about what farm stress looks like in you and your neighbors.”

Farm stress can show itself in many different ways. Farmers could have a difficult time I’m making decisions. Farmers could seem constantly frustrated or angry. They might become less involved, even to the point where they completely isolate themselves and not do the activities they might normally involve themselves with. “You can see that secondary stress in the families,” Karbowski said. “You might see children that participated in extracurricular activities in the past are no longer participating. They also might

start acting out in school.

“Farmers are always the first to offer a helping hand,” Karbowski said. “But they don’t necessarily take care of themselves or reach out for help.”

MSU Extension offers a great many resources to aid farmers with their stress. On its website, canr.msu.edu/ managing_farm_stress/index, MSU Extension offers a great number of links that might offer insight to a great number of people. From financial and management guides to just news in their field, it can help just to know that you’re not alone.

“I think the self-awareness is a big first step,” Karbowski said. “Understanding their situation, being comfortable and willing to reach out if they are experiencing some of the more significant stresses and are struggling to the point that they do need some extra support. MSU Extension could be one of those resources.”

Farmers are encouraged to go their website to help find the help they need. You can also contact Karbowski directly through his email, karbows8@msu.edu. For anyone feeling suicidal or having serious mental health concerns, they can call 211 for immediate help. You can also go to mi211.org which is a website that deals with all kinds of mental crises, not just farm stress. You can also call them by simply dialing 211 on your phone.

“For the farmers that are struggling, know that you are not alone,” Karbowski said. “Know that there are people out there behind the scenes that are creating the tools and resources for farmers and their families so they can be successful with care and support.”