Experts share resources for farmers experiencing mental health struggles [Video]

PEORIA (25News Now) – Farming is a year round job, unpredictable job that can cause agricultural workers to experience stress, and even more serious mental health problems like depression.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the suicide rate for farmers and agricultural workers is nearly five times higher than that of the general population. The CDC also found that people living in rural areas have higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and completed suicide.

Peoria County Farm Bureau manager, Patrick Kirchhofer, said farming is a timely profession that requires workers to continuously adjust to changing conditions. He said the unpredictability, changing finances and crop prices, and working with family can add stress to a farmer’s life.

“Corn’s down to about $4 a bushel and beans are a little over $11 a bushel, and then there’s expenses and those have to be paid in a timely manner,” Kirchhofer said. “There’s just a lot of uncertainties in farming.”

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