A new western Montana program is looking to improve mental health for farmers and ranchers through a federal grant.
The program, “Better Together: A Wellness Series for Farmers and Ranchers,” comprises four interactive sessions focusing on stress management, mindfulness as well as strategies for navigating uncertainty in agricultural life.
Farmer and rancher mental health is a major issue within the agricultural community and according to the National Rural Health Association, the suicide rate among farmers is three-and-a-half times the rate of the general population.
“Farmers and ranchers are incredibly resilient, but resilience does not mean going through it alone,” Sarah Holden, horticulture extension agent with Montana State University (MSU) Extension in Missoula County, said in a press release. “This federal grant allows us to offer practical, evidence-based tools and create a supportive space where producers can connect, build skills and strengthen their well-being.”
The initiative is grant-funded through the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, part of a larger, nationwide initiative to improve rural mental health. The money for the initiative was originally part of the 2018 Farm Bill, which agricultural organizations across the country have asked to be renewed.
MSU Extension is one of the lead agencies for the western regional stress assistance program, which is administered by the federal government through the USDA.
The program held its first session on Jan. 12 and will host three more on Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and Feb. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Balsamroot Conference Room of the Exploration Center, located at 1075 South Ave. W. in Missoula, MT.
Local farmers and ranchers are encouraged to attend, even if they did not go to the first session, and can register online at tinyurl.com/4wjz43xn. The event is free and open to ranchers and farmers in Lake, Sanders, Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli counties, as well as surrounding areas, a press release said.
The workshops are being taught by Julie Engh Peters, with Deeproots Montana. Peters also is the co-owner of Red Hen Farm and Orchard in Missoula County.
“This work is deeply meaningful—and deeply demanding,” Peters said in a press release. “We are offering this series as an act of gratitude and support for farmers and ranchers who give so much of themselves to their land and communities. Participants will leave with tangible practices they can realistically use in daily life.” — Jordan Hansen, Daily Montanan
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
