Farmer Resilience

From Despair to Hope: Why a Farmer on the Brink of Suicide Chose to Keep Going

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:41:22 GMT

It’s starting to feel similar to the 1980s. Not only are farmers on the brink of financial collapse, but there’s another grim reality setting in: The number of farmers dying by suicide is on the rise, and it could be at a rate U.S. agriculture hasn’t seen since the 1980s.

Even though statistics on suicides among farmers aren’t reliable from the 1980s because many were deemed “accidents” during that time, some estimates point to more than 1,000 farmers dying by suicide during that crisis.

“Unfortunately, it just almost seems like it’s a pandemic situation. I mean, there’s a lot of it, and it’s sad,” says Brent Foreman, a farmer in Shelby County, Mo., who knows the impacts of farmer suicides all too well.

“From an agricultural perspective, there’s a lot of stress in this industry, especially now,” Foreman says. “And somebody that’s contemplating this. I would say, we as farmers, we like to try to fix things, and we’re pretty good at it, but you can’t fix everything. If you get to a point like that, please reach out to someone, a family member, a good friend. Just please try to get some help.”

Touched By Suicide Three Times

Foreman isn’t just a fellow farmer concerned about the number of farmer suicides today. He’s a life-long farmer who’s been impacted by farmers dying by suicide three times, and the first loss happened when he was just 12 years old.

“My grandfather was a wonderful man, the most important male figure in my life,” Foreman says. “It happened 54 years ago, and it leaves a heck of a hole in your heart still today.”

Sixteen years later, his younger brother died by suicide, another sudden and tragic loss where there were no signs something was wrong.

“And then just a little over two years ago, my brother-in-law, who was 68, took his life,” Foreman says. “I’m telling you, it’s a devastating thing for loved ones to have to go through. It is tough. It’s really tough.”

Foreman says with his brother-in-law, there were signs he was struggling. He tried to take his life one time, but didn’t succeed. That’s when the family tried to get him help, which he agreed to, even going in for treatment.

“We thought that things were getting better, but they weren’t,” Foreman says. “At the beginning, I consulted our preacher, and I said: ‘I need some prayer and I need some advice.’ And he said: ‘Well, I do want to tell you something. I want you to be able to be prepared if you fail. Can you handle that?’ And I said: ‘Well, what I can’t handle is if I don’t try. I have to try.’

Experiencing three suicides, all by loved ones he was extremely close to, has been devastating. Foreman says the emotions are still raw today.

“It’s tough to live with, going through that so many times,” he says. “When I was a youngster I always told myself, the hurt, that’s something I would never do to anyone else. I just made like a pact with myself that I would never do that, because I’ve seen and lived firsthand how it affects you. From a family’s perspective, the pain goes on and on; it doesn’t quit. My wife, from her perspective, I can just see it in her eyes almost daily, the devastation.”

‘When We Lose Hope, It’s a Dangerous Place to Be’

When a person loses hope, that’s when the situation turns bleak.

“Sadly, that is the end all for a lot of people,” Jolie Foreman, executive director at Shelby County Cares , says. “Hope is key. If you have hope, you can keep going. When you lose hope, it’s just a very dangerous place to be.”

Lafayette County, Mo., farmer Ethan Daehler has been there.

“It was actually 2019 was kind of my low point,” he says.

Just six years ago, this Missouri farmer hit rock bottom.

“I was pretty much just down in the dumps, ready to just give up on life,” he says. “Thank the Lord something happened that kind of changed my way of thinking.”

In his early 30s, Ethan Daehler knows what it’s like to be on the verge of suicide. In 2019, he hit a low point. But something saved him, and he hopes by sharing his story, he will reach other farmers in a similar state of mind, reminding them that life is worth living.

(Ethan Daehler, Missouri Farmer )

Battling ongoing pain from an accident and stress of work, as well as struggles with the dynamics of a family farm, it all compounded the issue and pushed Daehler to a breaking point.

“I had a full-time job at the time working for another farmer and trying to do my own small operation,” he says. “We had family issues, which happens to a lot of farmers. There is a lot that compounds into thoughts, it’s just not financial problems, and I think that’s what people need to understand.

Daehler is now proof that it’s worth finding a reason to live, and he is only sharing his story to possibly save someone who’s in a similar spot as he was in 2019.

“There’s more to life,” he says. “I’m in a tractor now, baling hay, this is my fourth cutting. This is what I kind of dreamed of. Find something you love doing.”

A Mission to Prevent Farmer Suicides

That pain is something that fueled his daughter-in-law’s work. Jolie Foreman is the executive director at Shelby County Cares , a nonprofit whose goal is to improve the quality of life for children, youth and adults.

“I knew that we were very resource poor,” Jolie says. “So when I heard that this opportunity was available, we jumped on it, and we’ve just grown from the bottom up. We are definitely grassroots. They had faith in us in what our vision was, and they invested in it.

Through a grant,Jolie’s initial focus wasn’t suicide, but as she started doing research, she discovered there was a desperate need to provide help.

“My family had been impacted by suicide, and that’s kind of why I had jumped on board in the beginning,” she says. “But once we sat down at the table and really started to dive into the names and being in a small town, we know all of those lives that have been lost to suicide up here, that the producer was the one that was struggling.”

Fall Typically Heightens the Stress and Struggles

Jolie says they are currently seeing an increase in the number of farmer suicides happening across the country. Some of that is due to the various stresses involved with farming, but she says the fall is typically when the number of suicides in agriculture rises even more.

“In the spring, there’s a lot of hope,” Jolie says. “You’re planting, you’re coming off of the year that may have been good, may have been bad, but there’s always hope in the spring. And come September, I think the stark reality starts to set in either the pricing and the yields.”

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month , and when it comes to agriculture the facts are startling. Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The suicide rate among male farmers, ranchers and ag managers is 43.7 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the National Rural Health Association.

The mounting financial pressures unfolding across the agricultural economy are adding another layer to an industry that already faces one of the highest rates of suicide compared to any other profession.

“Suicide is one of those things that’s hard to put on a scale,” Jolie says. “I mean we know the lives we’ve lost. We unfortunately can’t see the lives that we’ve saved, but I do know from talking to the local ambulance district that the calls have definitely increased; 988 is a huge resource here, and those calls have gone up and increased exponentially. And just through conversations I know that that rural agricultural piece is pressing behind it.”

She says one of the most startling discoveries she’s made during her research and work is the desensitization to death among farmers. She says through various conversations, it’s a reality that’s sad but true.

It’s Not Just Financial Stress That Causes Strains on Farmers’ Mental Health

Jolie says it’s not just financial stress that causes these struggles. It’s also the fact farming comes with many stresses, and for the most part, many farmers are so isolated and might not have access to adequate healthcare.

AgriSafe says if you’re a farmer, rancher, or farmworker, you already know that your work can expose you to a variety of hazards. They believe that with proper education and access to knowledgeable health professionals, farmers can live a long, healthy, and productive life.

(The Total Farmer Health Model, AgriSafe)

According to AgriSafe’s Total Farmer Health , the financial factor is one that can compound mental health struggles, but there are other factors that lead to the risks of farmer suicides including:

Weather
Sleep
Cognition
Social
Diet
Hazards
Spirituality
Healthcare
Fitness

Signs to Watch

And for family and friends, there are signs to watch out for, including neglect of the farm or ranch or even an individual who makes a big financial moves.

“Financial moves are also huge, which is why we’ve talked to attorneys, and we also talked to the financial providers like different banks,” Jolie says. “Are they moving their money? Are they giving away prize possessions? Are they changing their wills? Are they creating a sudden will? We just want to give those resources the tools that they need just to be like, ’Are you okay?’

Daehler says his message for someone in a dark place is you’re not alone. That message is something the Foremans also wants farmers to know.

“I want them to know that we care. I want to know they feed and fuel the world, but if their bucket is empty, they can’t pour into others,” Jolie says. “It’s OK to not be OK, to talk about it, to reach out, to ask your neighbor, to not afraid if you do see something or change in behavior or more isolation. Don’t be afraid to have that conversation. And there are a lot of people that care.”

Suicide Prevent Hotlines

It’s important to remember no matter where you are, there is help. 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline .

And for farmers, there is a specific farmer crisis hotline you can call that is toll-free at 866.586.6746.

The American Farm Bureau also has a Farm State of Mind campaign which builds awareness to reduce stigma and provides access to information and resources that promote farmer and rancher mental health wellness. You can visit that list of resources here .

5 Options to Consider During Farmland Transitions

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:40:34 GMT

Transitions are hard. It doesn’t matter what the transition involves, the nature of moving from one thing to the next is complicated. Farmland may be one of the toughest, says Steve Bohr of Farm Financial Strategies in Lisbon, Iowa.

“Farmers often believe that what differentiates him or her is their ability to own the land,” Bohr explains. “And by God, you’re not taking it away from them. A lot of times, land ownership doesn’t transfer until death, and I’m OK with that. But we’ve got to drill down and figure out how that land is going to transition from one generation to the next.”

Over the years, he’s discovered there are three fundamental areas of concern in an estate and farm transition plan that each family should independently address — cost of administration, creditor protection, and transition plans for land and operating assets.

He shares five options to consider for the transition of land assets.

1. Give the land to the farmer.
The first option is to get the land transitioned to those who are farming it or have an affinity to own it, Bohr says. Each generation cannot afford to take a step back in equity and expect to compete in today’s marketplace.

“The clear problem with that is, how are we fair to the ones who aren’t interested in farming? Every family is different,” he says.

If your family is expecting to farm the same (or more) acres with a land base that has been divided across siblings, each generation will be in a weaker position to complete. How many times will your family have to pay for the same land? Which generation will eventually lose it due to no fault of their own (other than choosing to carry on the legacy)?

2. Divide the land equally.
An undivided ownership in real estate can cause great anxiety for the owners of the land who want to farm it or who want to continue to own it, he explains. There is a greater chance of peace if you divide the land, but also a greater chance it gets away from the family.

“Most people believe this is the answer,” Bohr says. “I don’t believe that, because the problem with dividing the land is that it’s a recipe for the land to get away from us. Whether it’s divorce, bankruptcy or poor planning.”

At some point in time, the more people involved, and the more independence those people have, the land’s going to get away from you. If it doesn’t, then it has to be divided again at the next generation. By the time you divide a farm two generations, the grandkids don’t have enough to be able to farm.

“We are dividing ourselves right out of the plat book,” Bohr says.

3. Deed land into a family trust.
Leaving the land in trust after death may be a wise option for families who cannot afford to get the land to one heir and who do not want to divide their land. There are solid reasons to leave the land in trust for management, including if one or more children have marital, money or addiction issues or if one or more children are independently wealthy.

Oftentimes, leaving land in trust gives a false sense of security that may be deferring the problem to the future.

“When we leave it in trust, we’re asking for big problems. Whenever that land comes out of trust, it can be very inflexible,” Bohr says.

4. Create a family land entity.
A land entity like a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Family Limited Partnership (FLP) has become popular for a family where the first three options do not fit.

“I call this the boomerang plan because the rules in the operating agreement of the entity always bring the land back to the family,” he says.

Those entities will have rules, and within the entities, those rules will talk about lease options and purchase options at family pricing and terms, whatever that looks like. A vast majority of them are special use paid over a 30 -year contract so they can guarantee opportunity and affordability for family members.

5. Develop a hybrid plan.
There is not one plan that fits all families. That’s why a combination of multiple options sometimes works best for most families. A hybrid plan gives everybody an opportunity.

“Right now in succession planning, I think we have to give a huge amount of understanding to what will or won’t cash flow,” Bohr says. “What are the tax ramifications? What is the timing of the transition? And are we going to give an adequate opportunity to those who are going to be that next generation in our communities, paying taxes, going to churches, going to schools?”

Your Next Read: How an Iowa Family is Passing on the Farm from One Generation to the Next

Farming under a big red sun: Worker advocates push for heat-stress protections

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 20:40:46 GMT

Many regions across the U.S. have faced record-breaking heat this year, with communities and government agencies scrambling to ensure the public could cope with the severe conditions.

Heat-related fatalities far outnumber other weather-related deaths, according to the National Weather Service, and vulnerable populations — especially those working and living outside — are on the front lines enduring the stress of rising temperatures.

The recent death of a Kroger employee at a company distribution center in Memphis, Tenn., as well as the recent loss of two farmworkers in South Florida who succumbed to the record heat underscores the critical need for food industry leaders to provide adequate measures to ensure the safety of workers in extreme heat.

According to the National Institutes of health, farmworkers are 35 times more likely to die from heat exposure than workers in other industries. Despite this, there is no federal regulation mandating heat safety for outdoor workers, and to date, only four states — California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado — have adopted heat-stress standards.

Related news: Keep Farm Employees Safe During the Extreme Heat

In the absence of comprehensive regulation, advocates are seeking solutions within the fresh produce industry. Some independent programs and social responsibility certifications are seeking to ensure laborers have the support and resources they need to work outside amid heat and prolonged sun exposure.

Presidential medal-winning program tackles heat illness prevention

The Fair Food Program, founded in 2011 and implemented in farm fields from Florida to Colorado, is one such program that mandates heat protections for farmworkers. The Fair Food Program’s Heat Illness Standards is grounded in ensuring basic needs are met — providing water, shade and mandatory rest breaks — alongside education and life-saving intervention training, according to a news release.

What’s more, the Heat Illness Standards are one piece of the program’s broader Presidential medal-winning guidelines to safeguard farmworkers’ basic human rights, giving them the power to enforce these standards in the fields. In a recent Miami Herald op-ed, Princeton University professor Susan Marquis emphasized how the standards work to help farmworkers.

“The Fair Food Program’s heat illness prevention standards already are proven. Crews are staying hydrated and safe,” she said in the op-ed. “As one farmworker reported, ‘We can do more than improve day-to-day health and safety conditions. We can prevent a father or mother, a daughter or son, from losing their lives.’”

How the Fair Food Program’s heat illness protections work

To protect workers, the Fair Food Program is backed by the market power of 14 major retailers — including Walmart, McDonald’s, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s — who have each pledged to halt purchases from growers who are suspended from the Fair Food Program for violating its standards, according to the release.

Additionally, The Fair Food Program is monitored by a team of independent, trained human rights investigators with the Fair Food Standards Council. The council maintains a database of its audit and complaint investigation results, including quotes from workers interviewed in the process.

“The program is credited with eliminating unsafe working conditions, wage theft, beatings, rape and forced labor for tens of thousands of farmworkers each year on participating U.S. farms,” Marquis said in the Miami Herald op-ed.

Related news: Harvesting cherries at night to protecting apples with nets, record heat takes toll on fruit crop

Thousands of farmworkers are covered by the Fair Food Program, which operates today in 10 states and three countries and includes 12 specialty crop commodities.

Expanding the program translates to more farmworker protections

To extend life-saving heat stress protections to workers in fields, farmworkers with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers are pushing for the expansion of the Fair Food Program by calling on major food brands to join, the release said.

As part of the Fair Food Program’s heat illness protections, one farmworker shared with auditors how things had changed since the program was adopted.

“The fields have changed — now, we have better wages and better treatment for everyone. Before, there was nothing like that. Before, I would be working under the sun, working hard, and I would want to stop for water,” the farmworker said. “The boss would stop me, and I would say, ‘I need water.’ He would say, ‘There’s the ditch over there, it’s got some water.’ There were no water bottles. We were exhausted, we needed water. There were no toilets.”

Related news: Florida farmworker’s death was preventable, Labor Department says

The farmworker said that, before the Fair Food Program, those who spoke out would be fired.

“But now that we are united, we have strength. We are taking steps forward, and we cannot go back,” the farmworker told Fair Food Program auditors.

Produce on the brain: Stress, mental health and fresh produce

Wed, 31 May 2023 20:23:05 GMT

If you’re looking for a job where you can rest on your laurels and tune out, fresh produce might not be for you. By contrast, constantly chasing updates on pricing, availability and quality is considered normal in a fresh produce industry that includes seasonal and highly perishable products, as well as dynamic markets and slim profit margins.

While often complex and interesting, the produce industry can also be volatile and nerve-wracking at times. Successful produce leaders often spend much of their day swiftly adapting, communicating and deal making to maintain a business. The other end of the supply chain is no less stressful; agricultural workers tackle a nonstop productivity cycle of growing, harvesting, packing and transporting fresh fruits and vegetables as efficiently as possible.

The stressful business of delivering fresh produce from seed to plate

In a recent LinkedIn Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group survey, over 100 produce professionals described their stress level working in fresh produce. The responses underlined that while the sector is full of professionals who are navigating the stress, the industry still has room to improve.

While a quarter of fresh produce professionals surveyed said that the stress level in a typical week was “unsustainable” and even “toxic,” 40% of those surveyed reported that, in their experience, the fresh produce industry was “never dull” and they “mostly enjoyed it.” Another quarter of those surveyed reported that a week in fresh produce included an “about average” level of stress. Only 6% reported they are “living the dream.”

“The produce industry is full of passionate and highly motivated individuals, and with that comes a certain amount of inherited stress and competition,” Madelyn Edlin, marketing and sales manager for Equitable Food Initiative, told The Packer. “Those in this industry are some of the most humble and hardest working people I have ever met. However, that can result in a high-stress environment that is compounded by prolonged burnout and a sense of never being or doing quite enough,”

But, she added, to include a full picture of mental health in the fresh produce industry, you must start with understanding what farmworkers are experiencing and prioritizing their needs.

“It’s imperative to remember the 2.5 million farmworkers who are the backbone of this industry. Without the incredible work they do, there are no cocktail hours, show floors, emails or Zoom calls,” Edlin said. “Coming from politically and economically stressed environments, farmworkers are working to provide us with the highest-quality and safest food while fearing the impermanence of working under H-2A or without a proper visa. Bringing in a trauma-informed approach to the employment and management of farmworkers is critical to maintaining humanity and a thriving industry.”

In fact, agricultural workers rank at the top of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 report as one group more likely to die by suicide compared to other industry groups, just behind mining and construction industries.

From the farmworker harvesting strawberries to the logistics specialist communicating updates to the investor weighing risks and benefits, no matter where you work along the fresh produce supply chain, stress is something you will likely confront of a regular basis.

Supporting mental health in fresh produce

After a string of days, years and even decades, managing the labor, deals, relationships and adrenaline rushes that come with succeeding in fresh produce, how do individuals manage stress and cope with the highs and lows of the business?

Mental illness affects 1 in 5 U.S. adults every year, according to a recent National Alliance on Mental Illness report. Add to this factor such as long hours, low wages and stressful working conditions, and there are plenty of reasons to reflect on how to support mental health — both on a personal level and within spheres of influence.

For starters, undeniable employment factors such as paying employees a living wage, fair compensation, safe and respectful working conditions, and responsive, empathetic and capable leadership go a long way in fostering a healthy workforce, boosting morale and preventing burnout.

For many organizations looking to promote a healthy company culture, recruit talent and gain helpful insights to improve, it starts with listening.

“EFI is all about worker engagement and voice, and we try our best to practice what we preach. All voices are brought to the table throughout the organization; we are encouraged to learn through failure and seek continuous improvement,” Edlin said. “Companies — and EFI is a great example of this — [that] are asking for and responding to input and suggestions from their employees are a great starting point of a healthy culture and work-life balance.”

A flourishing organization and fresh produce industry includes a diversity of lived experiences and points of view, she continued.

“Attracting up-and-coming talent to this industry is going to involve recognizing that the industry is made up of humans who live full lives outside of their jobs,” Edlin said. “This industry is providing the healthiest foods on the planet; I hope we can start talking about mental health as easily as we talk about physical health in the produce industry, from farmworker to the C-suite.”

Thriving — personally and professionally

While thoughtful systemic and institutional measures go a long way in fostering a corporate culture where workers thrive, resources are available now to individuals in fresh produce to help cope with stressors and gain mental health support.

One advocate for mental health, Marshal Sewell, a strategic accounts manager for U.S. Open Fields at Bayer Vegetable Seeds, seeks to shed light and remove stigma around mental health, especially in agriculture. After Sewell’s father died by suicide during Sewell’s senior year of high school, in part due to a series of financial catastrophes on the farm, Sewell knew he had to speak out.

Related: “ Tip of the Iceberg” podcast Episode 10 — What Marshal did after his farmer dad’s suicide

“One in every five Americans at some point in time will face a mental illness, but the common misconception is that mental illness is the same as mental health,” Sewell told The Packer’s Amy Sowder on a recent “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast episode. “While not all of us may be impacted by mental illness, each and every one of us can participate and be doing things and making choices to proactively address our mental well-being.”

Over the course of his career, Sewell has spoken about how to encourage mental health, cultivate healthy habits and get support in agriculture. He’s also developed a hub of mental health resources for agriculture professionals at mindyourmelon.org .

View this profile on Instagram Mind Your Melon ? (@mindurmelon) • Instagram photos and videos

For many, coping with the ups and downs of fresh produce and cultivating resiliency comes down to striking a balance.

“It’s all about balance, isn’t it? Life is a mix of high energy and low energy, giving and taking, leading and being led, extroverted moments matched with introspection,” Edlin said. “Countering a high-energy week at a trade show with a week spent at my desk and time outside or an after-hours hike has been the balance that not only helps me cope with stress but gives me zest for my job and personal life.”

Other organizations advocating for the health and well-being of agricultural workers and produce professionals include:

Agrisafe Network — founded by rural nurses to improve the health and safety of farmers and ranchers.
Healing Voices Project — an initiative supporting mental health and farmworker communities.
Puente — an organization focused on farm worker mental health.

Tips to Boost Mental Health Ahead of the Holidays

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:56:54 GMT

The statistics surrounding mental health are alarming. A study by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) in 2021 found that 3 out of 4 people shared that their mental health worsened during the holiday season. The reasons varied, but financial pressures, conflict with family members, loss of loved ones and busy schedules were common reasons that aided in a declined mental health state of being.

Jess Peters with Spruce Row Farm in Meadville, Pa., says that there is so much pressure with the added expectations to be jolly and end the year on a high note.

“Most of us will spend a ton of time over the next few weeks surrounded by family and that’s great, but when you need to be alone. Be alone. Last year, I was feeling crazy overwhelmed and showed up to our family’s annual Christmas Eve dinner (the only formal Christmas tradition we have) an hour and a half after the rest of my family,” she says. “It felt amazing.”

The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences offers these options if you notice your mental health worsening during the holidays.

Practice self-care. What activities help you feel refreshed or relaxed? Taking a walk around your property, watching a favorite movie, or driving through a Christmas light display in your community are all simple activities that can bring happiness.
Avoid negative coping strategies. It is common for people to enjoy alcoholic beverages, but excessive drinking to change your mood can harm your physical and mental health.
Set healthy boundaries. It is okay to say “no” or “not right now.” If your schedule is too busy, consider limiting the number of invitations you accept. If family gatherings are a little contentious, plan to stay for only an hour or two.
Follow your routine. Enjoy holiday treats and remember your veggies and protein. Settle in for a fun movie night and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Proper rest and nutrition help your mental health tremendously!
Acknowledge your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or family member and tell them how you feel. Sometimes, just saying words out loud can help remove a burden from our minds. Your loved ones may also be able to provide additional support.

Peters says this year she is taking the pressure off.

“Yes, 2022 is ending and 2023 is beginning. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to magically become a new person. You can do that any day of the year. New year, same you,” she says. “That’s ok.”

Help is Available:

988 – call or text this number 24/7 to be connected to the Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline. A trained counselor will listen to you, support you, and share resources in your area.
741741 – text the Crisis Lifeline 24/7 to connect with a trained counselor.
911 – if you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a medical emergency, call emergency services immediately.

The holidays can be a time of excitement and happiness and can also be challenging. Peters’ shares that for a lot of people, this time of year means grief.

“We tend to reflect around the holidays and miss the people we’ve lost who we love most. If that’s you, I’m so sorry because grief is a beast for which there is little to no advice,” she says. “Take solace in the fact that you loved so deeply, and they loved you in return. And if that’s true, they wouldn’t want you to stop living your life because of them. Live for them. Whatever anyone tells you, some kinds of grief are forever. It’s our job to learn how to live through it.”

Opinion: Why Farmers Should Pay Attention to Global Food Security

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:30:41 GMT

It feels like the world has turned upside down, with COVID-19, extreme weather and supply chain issues from the Russia-Ukraine war taking a toll on almost everyone. Farmers have weathered storm after storm, and it just keeps going, with fertilizer and other costs expected to remain high.

Fortunately, U.S. agriculture is in a strong position. As someone who survived the farm crisis of the 1980s and other periods of stress, I am confident that our industry will continue to thrive.

UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL HUNGER

The world can’t feed itself without American farmers, and we have a lot to be thankful for: functioning markets, good customers for our commodities at home and abroad, and access to technologies to make farming more efficient than ever.

While U.S. agriculture isn’t facing an existential threat, the same cannot be said for farmers abroad, particularly in the developing world. Millions of farmers around the world, our brothers and sisters in arms, derive not just their income from farming; they also depend on their harvests to feed their families.

Global hunger has increased significantly — the United Nations World Food Program calls it “an unprecedented global food crisis” that is expected to get worse. Ironically, the majority of the world’s poor and hungry people work in agriculture, so this crisis disproportionately affects farmers.

High-quality inputs, particularly fertilizer, can be a game changer for smallholders, whose crop yields are much lower than on U.S. farms.

However with increasing costs, many smallholders won’t be able to afford fertilizer. In some African countries, fertilizer prices are up 150%, according to the UN. This is a potential tragedy in the making, as it means many will have smaller harvests and increased hunger.

THE PATH FORWARD

Farmers in the U.S. should care about global food security for a number of reasons. First, I believe having compassion and advocating for our fellow farmers around the world is just the right thing to do.

Second, when farmers have access to inputs and technologies that can help them increase production, they can re-duce hunger and increase economic growth in their home countries, which ultimately leads to political stability, less immigration and new markets for U.S. exports.

A ROLE YOU CAN PLAY

If you are interested in these issues, I suggest getting involved. The Farm Journal Foundation is a nonprofit that organizes conversations between Farmer Ambassadors like me and policymakers to discuss food security issues.

I’m also involved in the Farmer-to-Farmer program, which sends American producers to developing countries to share their knowledge with smallholders and others in the agricultural supply chain.

At the end of the day, U.S. agriculture is on solid footing, and we can be strong advocates for farmers around the world to promote food security for all.

Ready to get involved? Learn about the Farm Journal Foundation’s Farmer Ambassador program .

Join Our Mission

Today, the Foundation’s purpose of educating consumers and advocating for modern agriculture’s leadership role in achieving global food security is more important than ever. Please consider supporting the Foundation’s ongoing work.

Donate to the Farm Journal Foundation .

You can also make donations when you shop with Amazon. When you shop using AmazonSmile, you’ll find the same Amazon storefront you know and love, with the added bonus that AmazonSmile will donate a portion of the eligible purchase price to the charity of your choice, at no additional cost. Here’s how to sign up:

Visit smile.amazon.com
Sign in with the same account you use for Amazon
Select your charity
Start shopping! Remember to checkout at smile.amazon.com to generate donations for your chosen charity.

Connect with the Farm Journal Foundation:

FarmJournalFoundation.org

@FarmJFoundation

@FarmJournalFoundation

@FarmJournalFoundation

Rick Fruth is a partner in New Vision Farms, a 7,500 acre farm in Napoleon, Ohio, that grows popcorn and a number of specialty crops. He is a Farmer Ambassador for Farm Journal Foundation and has served as a volunteer in seven countries with the Farmer-to-Farmer program.

The Untold Farmer Stories Of Ukraine: Q&A With Howard Buffett

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:15:15 GMT

As a farmer and global philanthropist, Howard Buffett and his namesake, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, work where others can’t or won’t to address food insecurity, mitigate conflict, combat human trafficking and improve public safety.

After 10 trips to the front line in Ukraine (the first of which was April of 2022), Buffett shared key insights and takeaways to the attendees at the 2024 Top Producer Summit.

As Ukrainians are living day-by-day and the country’s farmers face instability in inputs, destruction of their infrastructure and the threat of landmines scattered in their fields, Buffett encourages U.S. farmers to see the threat to global food security and view this conflict through the eyes of a farmer.

Q: How do you describe your experience in Ukraine?
A: “It’s hard to imagine the amount of destruction. Many farmers lost everything they’ve had. Think about if you were to go home today and your machinery shed is completely shelled, all your equipment is burned, and you don’t know when you’re going to be able to go back in the field because there are hundreds of landmines.”

Q: How has the timing of this war affected global food security?
A: “If we didn’t have the largest corn crop we’ve ever harvested, a five-year high carryover in corn and a four-year high carryover in soybeans, and if South America didn’t have strong yields, the impact of Ukraine would be so much greater than it has been. The timing is such that we’ve avoided a serious crisis around the world with food insecurity so far, but that doesn’t mean it will stay that way.”

Q: How have you seen the support from the U.S. government show up in Ukraine?
A: “We have spent a majority of the money for Ukraine in this country in 31 states, 71 cities and 130 some production lines. We’re emptying out warehouses of ammunition that if we went to war with, we’d be surprised or disappointed with, and we’d be in trouble. I’ve been in a howitzer site, where 40% of the 155 shells firing came from the U.S. misfire, either because the ammunition is old or the electronics are corroded. We’re also replacing very old weapons systems with higher tech weapons systems, so we as the U.S. will be better prepared to fight if we have to fight.”

Q: How is the way this war is being fought different?
A: “Drones are the most important thing right now in this war. Ukraine is lacking air superiority, and that’s been a huge deficit for them and has caused a lot of casualties. The U.S. would not understand how critical drones are today if it weren’t for Ukraine. And I don’t think we’re just learning from a military standpoint; if you look at the resiliency and the commitment and the courage of Ukrainians, they’re teaching us something. After two years of the fight, sometimes you forget how it all started. This is Russia, who’s one of our biggest enemies. They would destroy America tomorrow if they could; they would take away your farm tomorrow if they could; they would take away our freedom and our democracy. They are our enemy, period.”

Q: What is the effort and timing of rebuilding?
A: “I have seen hundreds of villages in rural Ukraine that are completely leveled — there’s nothing left, there’s no families, no one can live there. They’re all mined, and you can’t even go into them. I learned a lesson in Afghanistan, seeing buildings get rebuilt, roads rebuilt in the middle of war. A Navy Seal told me, if you don’t rebuild while the war is still going on, people have no hope. If people cannot see to the future, if they cannot have any faith things are going to change, and they’re going to get better, they give up, and it gets hard to go on. So, in Ukraine, we are building schools, and we’re building police stations.”

Q: What do farmers need?
A: “As part of the Victory Harvest program, we have sent 74 combines, 84 tractors, drills and auger wagons. And so now we’ve helped get 260,000 acres of crops harvested and close to 160,000 acres planted. Some of you guys have had your own experiences with fertilizer shortages, but these farmers don’t get to buy fertilizer or walk into a bank and get an operating loan.”

There are a few groups Buffett recommends to farmers wanting to help other farmers. Farmerhood was started by a Ukrainian woman whose husband was fighting on the front line. Others include Save Ukraine and Super Humans .

Q: How can agricultural equipment be used for de-mining?
A: “There are hundreds of thousands of acres to de-mine. There are still farmers dying every week because of land mines. Our new project is to take what we know about equipment and apply it to de-mining with both verification and clearance. We’ve got about 11 acres and four bulldozers and four tractors dedicated to our testing — focused on using what we have and using GPS to map where we’ve run and verified where there are mines or not. The idea right now is to take a tracked John Deere 8360R, put a LaForge three point on it and build a protection plate with two rollers in the front and a big roller behind us. We are going to bring efficiency, safety and speed to this by taking technology and applying it in a completely different way.”

Q: What about the grain successfully grown and harvested in Ukraine?
A: “Of the wheat harvested in Ukraine this year, 28% of the crop is from occupied territories, which means Russia stole it. We’re putting out fires trying to figure out how to move grain out of the country. We’ve bought thousands of Ag Bags and are buying more. And we’re working toward structuring something to make it easier for Ukrainian farmers to move grain — but it’s not simple.”

Q: What are the consequences to U.S. agriculture if Russia wins?
A: “If Russia wins, they will export all the fertilizer and the crops they can as cheaply as they can to compete with us. And then worse than that, Russia will fuel all the conflicts so they are able to maintain control of the Black Sea.”

In his latest book , Howard Buffett documents the atrocities committed against Ukrainians, as well as their suffering, resilience and courage. “Courage of a Nation” documents the first two years of war in Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and showcases a compilation of the thousands of images Buffett has captured over the 10 trips he has taken since the start of the war.

Adopt An Attitude Of Gratitude

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 18:20:24 GMT

How can you keep your chin up this growing season, which will likely be sprinkled or slammed with stress?

Take a gratitude walk, suggests Dave Gordon, an author and motivational coach. For five minutes each day, walk around your farm and clear your mind of everything stressing you out.

“I started this practice 15 years ago, and it changed my life,” he explains. “Say out loud what you are thankful for. This will set you up for a positive day.”

Gratitude is like a muscle, Gordon says, the more you exercise it the stronger it becomes. Build your muscle by reading uplifting books, spending time with positive people and thanking important people in your life.

“We know people who reﬂect on gratitude are happier, feel valued and experience fewer health issues,” says Mary Kelly, CEO of Productive Leaders. Use Kelly’s tool below to inventory your blessings.

Monitor Your Personal Check Engine Light

Research shows people who work in agriculture tend to have a higher rate of mental and physical health concerns, explains Sean Brotherson, family science specialist for North Dakota State University.

You owe it to your family and team to monitor and manage your stress signals.

“Signs of stress are like the warning signs on your vehicle dashboard,” Brotherson explains. “They indicate there’s a problem with your engine. So, you need to take steps to remedy what’s going on.”

Unhealthy patterns such as headaches, increased irritability, sleep difficulty, increased use of alcohol or drugs, communication difficulties and isolation are all signals to slow down and focus on wellness.

“Health is the most important asset to any operation. If it is the most important asset, it also needs to be the most important priority,” he says.

Brotherson and Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Extension farm health and safety specialist, offer these suggestions for farmers, ranchers and their families:

Know the warning signs of stress.
During stressful times, do a stress self-inventory.
Slow down and prioritize sleep.
Eat a healthy diet.
Get a physical checkup.
Seek local resources, including clergy and medical professionals. Talk with other farm families and neighbors.
Exercise daily. Take regular breaks throughout the day.

For more strategies to cope with stress and a tool to assess your stress zone, visit AgWeb.com/farm-stress

How Farms Can Adapt Hiring For Greater Resilience And Diversity

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:45:23 GMT

To ensure farm businesses have the best talent and are most reflective of their customers and the marketplace, it’s important to emphasize diversity as part of the hiring process, says Shannon Kellner, AVP of Merck Animal Health’s livestock team.

People with diverse backgrounds—including differences in age, gender and race—bring rich perspective to the table that can better inform how farms operate.

“We really believe in that collective thought process and diverse inputs that really give us the opportunity to grow and be very successful as a business,” explains Kellner, who participated in a panel titled “Scaling Diversity & Inclusion Across U.S. Agriculture” as part of the recent Farm Journal Field Days virtual conference.

(To watch the diversity panel, register for your free Farm Journal Field Days account , then navigate to the Farming For Today + Tomorrow Pavilion.)

As one of just three Black CEOs at the helm of a Fortune 500 company, Merck’s Kenneth Frazier leads by example, Kellner says, creating a culture that values all people. Frazier spoke publicly in an MSNBC interview this summer highlighting how being bused away from inner city Philadelphia to a different school system changed the trajectory of his career. Kellner notes that experience has led Frazier to position Merck as a company whose global scale can be a force for good in creating a more equitable world and business environment.

Farmers seeking to accelerate their own commitment to diversity and talent can start by thinking about their intern and hiring pipeline, Kellner says. Merck has updated its internship programs from a one-way approach of training young people into a two-way dialogue that allows Merck employees to learn—and identify talent they want to bring into the company full time. They’re hiring more people fresh out of college than waiting for them to get five to seven years of experience elsewhere.

“We’ve started to create positions we’ve never had before to bring younger individuals in to help us, either specifically in the areas of technology or through the intern program, to find a talent know you can’t let go because they’re a rock star,” Kellner explains.

“Resources are starting to become more prominent and available,” he says.