Supporting farmer mental health: update on funding resources

Jun 03, 2020

Rep. Tom Emmer is seeking funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A U.S. congressman is looking to secure funding to help support mental health in the ag industry.

Republican Tom Emmer, who represents Minnesota’s 6^th congressional district, introduced a bill on May 28 designed to provide US$30 million in additional spending for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN).

Republican Representatives Rodney Davis from Illinois’s 13^th congressional district and Roger Marshall from Kansas’s 1^st congressional district co-sponsored the bill.

The U.S. created the United States Department of Agriculture-run FRSAN, which provides mental health supports to the ag community, in 2008. But the network received no funding and it lapsed.

In 2018, Emmer introduced the Stemming the Tide of Rural Economic Stress and Suicide (STRESS) Act. The bill revived the FRSAN, which went on to receive US$2 million in funding through the 2018 Farm Bill.

Given the numerous challenges the ag industry is facing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers need support now, Emmer said.

“During the pandemic, there has been significant attention on farmers’ balance sheets and financial well-being, and rightly so,” he said in a May 28 statement. “But as farmers euthanize animals, dump milk and see across-the-board commodity price declines, we also need to recognize the growing toll these factors take on farmers’ emotional well-being.”

Farms.com has reached out to industry groups for comment.

If you or someone you know needs mental health support, you can access a list of resources compiled by Farms.com.

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.