Mental Health Concerns Are On the Rise In Farm Country

According to providers who are on the front lines of administering mental health care, farmers are among the highest number of suicides nationally. But they're also among the last to seek help, say community health professionals. State lawmakers have been working to make more resources available, but have not yet been able to pass a bill to address these concerns. The issue of mental health in farming communities has also gotten the attention of Gov. Tim Walz, who recently held a roundtable to discuss the crisis.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of farmers are getting out of the dairy business - a particularly hard-hit industry right now - or leaving farming altogether. But hatching a plan for life after farming also contributes to the stress that those who work in the industry already feel.

This story was published April 10, 2019.

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