U.S. farm groups unite to tackle rural opioid crisis

Jan 03, 2018

The Farm Town Strong campaign will provide resources and information for farm communities

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Two national farm organizations are joining forces to raise awareness about the opioid issue in rural America.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and National Farmers Union (NFU) created the Farm Town Strong campaign, which will provide resources and information to help farming communities overcome the crisis.

The campaign also encourages peer support for farmers using opioids, which include heroin, fentanyl and morphine.

About 74 per cent of farmers and farm workers have been impacted by opioids, according to a November study commissioned by the AFBF and NFU. The results prompted the groups to launch their Farm Town Strong campaign.

“Farm country has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic – even harder than rural America as a whole, or big cities,” Zippy Duvall, AFBF president, said in a statement today. “It’s going to take everyone working together to combat this crisis to make a difference. That’s why Farm Bureau and Farmers Union are teaming up to show unity on this issue and encourage farm families to help their neighbors.”

The opioid situation gained national attention when President Trump declared a national public health emergency in October.

Opioid-related deaths in rural America have risen since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

From 1999 to 2015, “the opioid death rates in rural areas have quadrupled among those 18 to 25 years old,” Dr. Rita Noonan, leader of the Health Systems and Trauma Systems Branch of the CDC, wrote on Nov. 28.

Noonan outlined several strategies to help prevent overdose deaths in rural America.

They include teaching healthcare providers about safer prescribing practices and supporting training for the administration of naloxone, a medication that can stop an opioid overdose, as well as increasing the availability of the product.

Video: Women in Ag. The Promotion of Female Farmers through Social Media | Madalyn Thayer | TEDxBGSU

Less than 1% of Americans are farmers. The majority of those farmers are men. Many people have minimal experience with farms and agriculture. High schools are getting rid of their FFA programs and many colleges, including BGSU, do not have agricultural programs or classes. There is a new social media phenomenon where women are making content based on their farming endeavors and gaining lots of traction. Education is the one of the most important parts of agriculture, because the more people know the more they will emphasize with farmers and create policy that benefits everybody. Female farmers have taken to social media sharing their experience in the agricultural world. These women are breaking stereotypes and educating everyday citizens about farming which is extremely important for the future of agriculture. Madalyn is 19 years old and will be gradated with her bachelors degree in communication on December 2024. She lives on a farm and have spent lots of time working in agriculture. She has her own farmers market and love learning about all subjects, especially agriculture. She was on the BGSU Firelands Student government from 2021-2023 as a CCP Ambassador and was awarded the 3&1 communication excellency award in April of 2024. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.