Hi, I’m Rich Bonanno, director of NC State Extension. In my role, I oversee 101 local
centers, thousands of programs and nearly 1,000 employees, most of whom serve agribusinesses
and farmers like you throughout the state.
Agriculture is near and dear to my heart, as I’m first and foremost a farmer myself.
I'm fourth generation on our family operation 30 miles north of Boston, and until 2016 I
ran the farm for 27 years.
I understand the stress, anxiety and pressure that comes with running a farm; depression
and stress are very real issues for farm families. These days, you’re facing a rising tide
of issues that can erode mental health and well-being, and that of your families.
Tough financial times associated with low crop prices, high farm costs, government policy,
crop insurance changes and natural disasters, among other factors, create unprecedented
stress levels.
Also a factor is the daily mental and physical stress that stems from trying to keep a business
afloat that has been in the family for generations.
Combined with a lack of rural mental health infrastructure and the reluctance of farmers
to seek assistance during tough times - let’s face it, we can be a proud and stubborn bunch
- studies have shown that emotional and mental health issues continue to spike among farm
families nationwide.
With less than 2% of the population feeding the remaining 98%, the deck can feel stacked
against you and the task can seem daunting at times. I’ve been there, I’m still there,
and though my daughter now runs the family operation for our family farm back in Massachusetts,
I see it everyday.
There are three core pieces of advice I give to my daughter, and I want to share that insight
with you as well.
First I tell her, never make major decisions during the busy times of the year, wait until
the season is over. And especially don't make decisions when you're mad. Calm down first.
Don’t spend money you don’t have, operate within your means as much as possible.
If you still have the passion to farm in the off-season, then it’s time to go back. If
the passion isn’t there, maybe you need to reconsider your decision to farm.
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and the farming community is as
strong a group of people as I’ve ever known. We rally around and support one another like
a family, and this situation calls for community as much as any I’ve seen.
It is important to reach out and talk to people and not keep that stress to yourself. There
is no shame in asking for help.
We appreciate all you do to help provide for our families and yours, and there are resources
that can help you work through these issues.
The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute – a partnership between NC State University,
East Carolina University and North Carolina A&T State University – is working to target
farm stress and provide farmers with resources to help them tackle issues of anxiety or depression.
They offer a list of resources for folks experiencing farm stress, and I strongly encourage you
to review these tools.
Visit N.C. Agromedicine Institute's Tape and Twine website, where you can find a farmer
stress and mental health resources guide, among other tools.
And don’t hesitate to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline if you need to,
at 1-800-273-TALK, or text 741741 to the Crisis Text Line if needed.
We at Extension try everyday to do our best to help our farmers, you all certainly deserve it.
Thank you for listening.