It’s no secret Minnesotans experienced a wet spring this year, and while this may have ended the state’s roughly two-year drought, it’s an added stress for farmers.
From the beginning of the year to July 1, 18.83 inches of precipitation fell at the St. Cloud Regional Airport, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This is a lot considering the wettest year-to-date for that same timeframe was 18.97 inches in 1897 — a 0.14 inch difference.
The high amount of rain saturated fields as the growing season started. Farmers say it delayed the planting process because working in those conditions can create problems, such as damaging the soil structure — how the soil is assembled with materials like clay, sand and silt.
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But not everyone was at ease once crops were in the ground. Browns Valley farmer Anne Schwagerl told the St. Cloud Times she worried about wet conditions continuing once crops were planted.
“We swung from drought conditions last year to excessive moisture on my farm this year,” Schwagerl said. “For example, we got six inches of rain in the month of July, and that can cause lots of stress on the crop … some crops don’t like being wet consistently, they grow better in soil that’s been well drained.”
Stress levels when work, home are the same place
Stress levels are increasing as farmers embark on or prepare for harvesting season. Farmers typically face mental pressures due to the industry’s financial risk, with many taking out operational loans before the season starts in hopes of paying it back come harvest.
With uncontrollable factors, like weather, playing a role in the season’s financial gain, anxiety levels increase.
“Depending on how people set up their business and when they deliver their crops, that can be like a big (financial) swing in one direction to another,” Schwagerl said. “(If things don’t work out in their favor), farmers go out of business or they have to work with their banker to restructure their debt.”
Schwagerl said concerns about money are increased this year not only due to the weather, but also because input costs are increasing while the sale prices are staying the same, comparatively.
This financial burden, alongside other factors like finding it difficult to separate home from work and co-workers being family, has caused a mental illness epidemic among America’s agriculture workers, Schwagerl said.
This comes as the American Farm Bureau states farmers are 2.5 to 5 times more likely to commit suicide compared to the national average.
Removing barriers for mental health services
Minnesota offers programs to help those struggling with mental health. One program funds two mental health counselors free of charge without requiring any paperwork. Those seeking assistance can call the counselors for help, with both remote and in-person visits available, according to counselor Ted Matthews.
However, that is two counselors tasked with helping agricultural workers across the more than 86,900-square-foot state. Matthews said despite this staffing limitation, the program is able to help those seeking assistance, but it’s due to the flexible nature of today’s hybrid workplace.
“With the advent of being able to do things by phone — and that’s also a godsend — let’s say I’m going to Rochester to see someone, I’ll talk on the phone from Hutchinson to Rochester (with) all kinds of clients and so on, so we have so much more that we can do.”
Matthews also said working with farmer advocates, a program that’s helped coach farmers since 1984, helps reach those in need of assistance. Among the biggest concerns is making sure farmers are aware of the resources available to them, and making sure they get help, which comes as surveys say farmers are reluctant to seek out assistance.
This reluctance comes with the stigma of mental health, Matthews said. He said many people hear words like counselor or therapist, and think that means something is wrong with them. Matthews said making mental health interactions as nonchalant and relaxed is essential when working with this demographic.
“They think that they’re not crazy, all those things that people think (about) and go through,” Matthews said. “I simply always tell people, ‘Well, don’t worry about that stuff.’”
“If you’re talking to somebody, and you think that they need to talk to me. Just say, ‘Let’s call Ted. He knows more about this than I do.’ Keep it informal. Keep it relaxed. Keep it so they’re comfortable being able to talk to you.”
Minnesota lawmakers put spotlight on mental health
State lawmakers are now looking to bring farmers increased mental health resources. Minnesota Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, told the St. Cloud Times that in the next legislative session he’s going to explore what it’d look like to hire mental health staff to join the farmer advocates, who he coined as “farmer Yodas,” when working with agriculture workers.
“(I want to look at) hiring some people to go with those (farmer advocates) so that the person who already has developed trust and is kind of a business mentor can also be there when they hear that someone is struggling with their farm,” Putnam said. “They’ll be at the kitchen table with them, and they’ll have the increased mental health support that can help with that.”
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Putnam said this would be a better alternative to hiring social workers to go out in the field, saying the established relationship with farmer advocates will create a more relaxed, welcoming environment.
“I don’t want to send a social worker out of the blue to a farm to show up to a farmer and say, ‘Hey, how’s your brain doing?’” Putnam said. That’s a recipe for disaster, but when we have pre-existing relationships and friendships and intimacy, there’s a great opportunity there.”
While the numbers and logistics are still being worked out, Putnam currently chairs the Minnesota Senate Agriculture, Broadband and Rural Development Committee, which would prove helpful when bringing such legislation to fruition. Putnam said program specifics and costs would be worked out once legislative session commences in January.
Cost will prove a significant factor when legislators take a vote on Putnam’s idea. Matthews said he’s content with how the program is currently laid out, and worries if agricultural mental health resource expenses dramatically rise amid questions about future state spending, the program could be cut.
“With the size that it’s at (right now), it’s cost-comfortable for the state,” Matthews said. “It seems that every time programs grow, they get cut when there’s tough times.”
Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at [email protected].
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