Fostering Mental Health Awareness at Advancing Women in Ag Conference

Oct 28, 2024
By Farms.com Interns

Strategies for Resilience and Support

By Deanna Ciaccia

Mental health issues among farmers are increasingly pressing, with nearly 30% of agricultural workers in North America experiencing anxiety or depression.

These challenges do not affect farmers in isolation; they ripple through families and communities, influencing everything from household dynamics to animal care and overall income stability.

The upcoming Advancing Women in Ag Conference (AWC), scheduled for November 17-19, offers a vital platform to address these critical issues. The AWC will feature over 35 expert speakers, the presentations will focus on a number of topics geared specifically towards women.

Several sessions, will share valuable insights into mental health and resilience in the agriculture and food sector. By emphasizing the importance of creating supportive environments within this sector, the conference seeks to foster dialogue and understanding around these challenges.

One of the key sessions will be led by Beverly Beuermann-King, titled "7 Ways to Beat Burnout: Without Quitting Your Job." Her focus on recognizing and combating burnout is especially essential for farmers who often face immense pressures to perform and maintain their operations. Beuermann-King's practical strategies aim to help participants identify burnout early and adopt techniques that promote long-term well-being.

Dr. Alycia Chrenek will delve into the significance of mental fitness in her presentation "Mind over Chatter: Thoughts Matter." This session will promote open conversations about mental health, which can be incredibly beneficial for farming families. By discussing the importance of mental fitness, Chrenek aims to equip attendees with tools to manage farmer mental health proactively.

Rebecca Posthumus and Erica Sayles will introduce the session "Stocking Your Mental Health Toolbox," emphasizing the importance of strong support networks. Such networks are vital for combatting the feelings of isolation that many farmers experience. Their session will focus on building connections that foster resilience and mutual support among agricultural workers.

In addition to the presentations on mental health, there will be a wide variety of informative topics presented throughout the conference.

For those considering career transitions or seeking professional growth, Katie Hunter will provide a "Career Success Kit." This session will equip attendees with essential tools for navigating job searches and pursuing new opportunities within the agriculture and food sectors. Hunter's insights will be invaluable for individuals looking to broaden their career horizons while maintaining a connection to agriculture.

Additionally, Lauren Van Ewyk’s workshop, "The Advice You Likely Didn’t Receive: Connecting in the Back 40," will explore how shared experiences can strengthen resilience within farming communities. This interactive session will encourage participants to reflect on their journeys and the power of community in overcoming challenges.

These speakers and sessions are just a glimpse of the rich conversations happening at AWC. By attending, participants can engage in meaningful discussions, share personal experiences, and gain insights crucial for fostering a supportive environment in agriculture and the food sector.

Click here to register today for the Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference.

Video: 2025 USDA December Crop Report a “Dud” + Trump $12 Billion U.S. Farm Aid

The USDA December crop report was friendly corn, neutral soybeans and bearish wheat. The USDA did surprise and increase the 25/26 U.S. corn export forecast to a new record high at 3.2 billion bushels now up 12% vs. last year vs. prior at +9% vs. the export pace to date up 30% the best in 10 years even higher than 20/21! The USDA left the 25/26 U.S. soybean export pace unchanged at 1.635 billion bushels. Higher global wheat supplies will remain a weight and headwind for wheat into year end and start of 2026.
Mexico is now the #1 buyer of U.S. corn, soybeans (usually China), wheat and pork!
USDA also released its long-term early projections but expect more changes by February of 2026.
Trump announces a $12 billion U.S. farmer aid package to be paid out by February 28, 2026. This helps no one but the ag banks, farm equipment companies, seed and fertilizer companies. It does prevent more farmer bushels from being sold near-term but is not bullish grain prices long-term. The Trump administration should focus on increasing U.S. domestic demand and propping up grain futures so farmers can cover their higher costs, up since COVID of 2020.
The China U.S. soybean purchase tracker now stands at 4.521 mmt or 38% of the 12 mmt promised by China at year end or is it end of February or the growing season? Why the discrepancy vs. the fact sheet. The optics are poor for the Trump administration.
After surging to contract highs U.S. natural gas futures plunged over 30+% in just 5-trading days!
Silver traded to new record highs as the debasement and de dollarization trade continued but technicals remain overbought near-term.
Soybean futures remained in correction mode after the funds went record long futures on Nov. 19 +233,000 contracts but the $10.80 support should hold into year end when the fund profit taking/liquidation comes to an end from the year end, end of month and end of quarter selling.
The U.S. Fed cut interest rates for the 3rd time by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50 – 3.75% and they will only cut one more time in 2026 and once in 20267/ but when Powell is gone next April the replacement is willing to cut more aggressively and we could see U.S. interest rates fall to 2.0% very bullish for ag and stocks as it could reignite inflation into 2027.
After 2 months of being drier than normal in Brazil the rains have finally arrived for the 1st half of December, and a record crop is still in the cards but if this pattern continues and verifies it could start to delay the harvest. Argentina after being too wet has turned dry but they are too small, compared top Brazil in the grand picture.
The Canadian dollar surged to $0.73 after better-than-expected employment data with 180,000 new jobs in the past 3-months and 3rd quarter GDP at +2.6% but this could be short-lived.
The latest CFTC report as of 11-19-2025 reported a record long fund position in soybeans at +233,000 contracts when 2026 March soybean futures peaked on 11-19-25 at $11.724/bu.