Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
Greener Pastures
A documentary that follows 4 Midwestern farm families over a number of years and examines issues such as mental health, social isolation, climate change, and economic uncertainty. Provides commentary on farming life in rural America.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Public Broadcasting Service
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A documentary that follows 4 Midwestern farm families over a number of years and examines issues such as mental health, social isolation, climate change, and economic uncertainty. Provides commentary on farming life in rural America.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Public Broadcasting Service
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The Women Farmer Stress Inventory: Examining Women Farmer Stress in the United States Corn Belt
Explores the causes of stress for women farmers. Discusses sociodemographic and farm-level factors that correlate with, and contribute to, stress. Breaks down data such as farm size and revenue, off-farm work and care labor, and demographic factors such as age, marital status, and education, among others.
Author(s): Carly E. Nichols, Jonathan Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 457-466
Date: 11/2023
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Explores the causes of stress for women farmers. Discusses sociodemographic and farm-level factors that correlate with, and contribute to, stress. Breaks down data such as farm size and revenue, off-farm work and care labor, and demographic factors such as age, marital status, and education, among others.
Author(s): Carly E. Nichols, Jonathan Davis
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 457-466
Date: 11/2023
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"Hopeful Forecasting": Farmers Showing Increased Interest in Mental Health Resources
Discusses a growing openness among farmers to accessing mental health resources. Shares insights from experts regarding stigma reduction and challenges that remain in addressing farmers' mental health.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses a growing openness among farmers to accessing mental health resources. Shares insights from experts regarding stigma reduction and challenges that remain in addressing farmers' mental health.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Mental Health of Agricultural Adolescents and Adults: Preliminary Results of a Five-year Study
Surveyed 122 farm families in 2021 to analyze symptoms of depression and anxiety in farm adults and their children as well as correlation between mental health and finances using the Family Stress Model. Participant characteristics include rurality and various physical and mental health measures.
Author(s): Josie M. Rudolphi, Richard L. Berg
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1056487
Date: 03/2023
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Surveyed 122 farm families in 2021 to analyze symptoms of depression and anxiety in farm adults and their children as well as correlation between mental health and finances using the Family Stress Model. Participant characteristics include rurality and various physical and mental health measures.
Author(s): Josie M. Rudolphi, Richard L. Berg
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1056487
Date: 03/2023
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Farm Dinner Theater: Farmers Helping Farmers
Video highlighting a Cooperative Extension-led program where community members take part in dinner theater productions that focus on issues related to farm health.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Video highlighting a Cooperative Extension-led program where community members take part in dinner theater productions that focus on issues related to farm health.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Characteristics of Suicide Among Farmers and Ranchers: Using the CDC NVDRS 2003–2018
Explores the demographics, methods, and mental health statuses and histories associated with suicide mortality among farmers and ranchers. Breaks down data by age, gender, and rural versus urban location, among other factors, as well as suicide method, life stressors, mental health history, and others.
Author(s): Cristina D. M. Miller, Josie M. Rudolphi
Citation: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 65(8), 675-689
Date: 06/2022
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Explores the demographics, methods, and mental health statuses and histories associated with suicide mortality among farmers and ranchers. Breaks down data by age, gender, and rural versus urban location, among other factors, as well as suicide method, life stressors, mental health history, and others.
Author(s): Cristina D. M. Miller, Josie M. Rudolphi
Citation: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 65(8), 675-689
Date: 06/2022
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On the Farm
Documentary miniseries explores mental health and substance misuse on the American farm. Discusses the factors that contribute to psychological stress and substance use in farm families. Features interviews with experts as well as farmers and their families.
Additional links: Film Website
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State University
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Documentary miniseries explores mental health and substance misuse on the American farm. Discusses the factors that contribute to psychological stress and substance use in farm families. Features interviews with experts as well as farmers and their families.
Additional links: Film Website
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State University
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Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums: A How-To Guide for Onsite and Online Community Engagement
Offers guidance on community forums as a technical education tool, including information on planning and hosting a forum, strategies for engaging communities, and resources to support committees and stakeholders. Features examples from forums on farm vitality, farmer mental health, and family health. Requires email registration to view the guide as a flipbook, with a PDF download option at the bottom of the screen.
Author(s): Maria Pippidis, Bonnie Braun, Jessie Ketterman, Shoshanah Inwood, Nicole Wright
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Cooperative Extension Service
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Offers guidance on community forums as a technical education tool, including information on planning and hosting a forum, strategies for engaging communities, and resources to support committees and stakeholders. Features examples from forums on farm vitality, farmer mental health, and family health. Requires email registration to view the guide as a flipbook, with a PDF download option at the bottom of the screen.
Author(s): Maria Pippidis, Bonnie Braun, Jessie Ketterman, Shoshanah Inwood, Nicole Wright
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Cooperative Extension Service
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Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Farm Families in Times of Economic Distress
Offers strategies to support development and integration of behavioral health services across healthcare and community-based organizations, including leveraging payment systems to support coordinated care for farm families and aligning federal grant programs to address mental health and substance use disorders. Features recommendations including integrating primary and behavioral care for initial treatment of mental health and substance abuse concerns, expanding the workforce to improve rural behavioral health services capacity, increasing telehealth services, and expanding private and public insurance coverage.
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, Alva O. Ferdinand, Alana Knudson, et al.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers strategies to support development and integration of behavioral health services across healthcare and community-based organizations, including leveraging payment systems to support coordinated care for farm families and aligning federal grant programs to address mental health and substance use disorders. Features recommendations including integrating primary and behavioral care for initial treatment of mental health and substance abuse concerns, expanding the workforce to improve rural behavioral health services capacity, increasing telehealth services, and expanding private and public insurance coverage.
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, Alva O. Ferdinand, Alana Knudson, et al.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Farmer and Rural Perceptions of Mental Health
Presents findings of a poll of 2,004 rural adults, addressing impressions of mental health stigma in rural and agricultural communities. Describes barriers to seeking mental health assistance, who rural adults feel comfortable talking to about stress or mental health issues, and the perceived mental health impacts of farm stress on farmers and farm workers. Compares results to polls conducted in 2019 and 2020.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: American Farm Bureau Federation
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Presents findings of a poll of 2,004 rural adults, addressing impressions of mental health stigma in rural and agricultural communities. Describes barriers to seeking mental health assistance, who rural adults feel comfortable talking to about stress or mental health issues, and the perceived mental health impacts of farm stress on farmers and farm workers. Compares results to polls conducted in 2019 and 2020.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: American Farm Bureau Federation
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Last Updated: 10/7/2025