American farmers are more likely to die on the job than those in most other professions.
Their livelihoods are dependent on weather and market forces beyond their control.
As they grow older, they often find their children and grandchildren aren’t inclined to continue a family vocation that stretches back generations.
Those dynamics help explain why New York State has lost almost half a million acres of farmland during the past 25 years, and why the number of farms statewide fell from 105,714 six decades ago to 33,500 today.
They also underline why U.S. farmers are 3.5 times as likely to die by suicide than the general population, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Farming is such a uniquely stressful occupation because it is more than a job,” said Audrey McDougal, a licensed clinical social worker with NY FarmNet.
McDougal will lead a “Talk Saves Lives” program Saturday in Niagara Falls to help farm families recognize early when stress leads to mental health challenges that can multiply.
The National Grange – which brought its annual convention to Niagara Falls Convention Center this week – has included the talk twice on its five-day agenda, and opened the Saturday talk to the public to underline its importance.
“This is a suicide prevention program that is geared toward reducing the stigma around mental health and suicide conversations,” McDougal said. “The purpose of these presentations is to give people the tools and the comfort and the confidence to reach out to loved ones or friends or neighbors that they might be…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply