PRESTON and CALEDONIA, Minn. — Farmers are known for their resilience – adapting to uncertainties and fixing a variety of problems to keep their farms running. But when those uncertainties become overwhelming or when problems can’t be fixed, stress and anxiety can occur, taking a toll on the wellbeing of farmers, their families, and operations.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, and South Dakota State University are seeking farmers in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin to share their experiences in fixing problems on and off the farm, including those connected to financial and mental well-being. Insights gathered from these one-hour phone or Zoom interviews will help shape policies and programs that better support farm families.
“Currently, resources and trainings to support farmers’ well-being mostly focus on mental health even though the root causes of mental health challenges in agriculture are seldom connected to a mental illness but rather to occupational stressors such as finances and the weather” said Florence Becot, Ph.D., the Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor at Pennsylvania State University who is also affiliated with UMASH.
All responses will be kept anonymous and summarized for sharing with policymakers, farm organizations, and service providers. Farmers’ input will play a critical role in creating actionable recommendations to strengthen future programs and policies to support the health, well-being, and economic viability of farm communities.
The team will share anonymous summaries of what farmers talked about during the interviews with policymakers, farm organizations, and service providers. The team will also develop recommendations regarding future programs and policies to support the health, well-being, and economic viability of farm families.
The interviews will take place between January and April and farmers will be compensated $50 for their time.
“From bookkeeping to preparing for spring planting, we know that farmers are extremely busy, and their time is very limited,” said Becot. “Still, we encourage farmers to participate in these interviews because we also know that decisions are being made by local, state, and national policymakers without a good grounding in the realities faced by actual farmers and their families.”
Key Details:
● Who: Farmers living in Minnesota (focus on Fillmore and Wright counties), South Dakota (focus on Brown and Minnehaha counties) or Wisconsin (focus on Clark and Dodge counties).
● What: One-hour interviews via phone or Zoom.
● When: Interviews will be conducted between January and April 2025.
● Compensation: Participants will receive $50 for their time.
● Confidentiality: All responses will be kept anonymous and summarized for sharing with policymakers, farm organizations, and service providers.
How to Participate: To schedule an interview or learn more, visit: https://redcap.link/Farmer_ProblemSolving_WellBeing. Farmers can also request more information and a paper sign-up form by contacting the project managerSarah Ruszkowski ([email protected]; 814-865-4982). If you have additional questions about this opportunity please reach out to your local Extension Educator. Residents in Fillmore and Houston counties can call 507-765-3896 or 507-725-5807.
–Jennifer Burrichter, University of Minnesota
The post Farmers Needed for Study on Problem Solving for Financial and Mental Well-being appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.