‘Communicating With Farmers Under Stress’ Webinar Aimed at Ag Professionals

Apr 23, 2025

An upcoming Penn State Extension webinar, “Communicating With Farmers Under Stress,” is aimed at helping participants learn the signs of stress and how to help. This webinar will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on May 15.

The program is designed for agriculture industry professionals, loan officers, family members of farmers, and concerned citizens. The session will cover how to communicate with and respond to farmers and their family members when they need assistance.

The webinar will help participants to:

Build awareness of the stressors affecting farmers and their families.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety and warning signs of suicide.
Assess, approach and assist farmers who are showing changes in their mental health.
Access local, state and national resources.

This webinar is free, but attendees must register prior to the start of the webinar to get the access link. Those who register also will receive a link to watch the recording of the program.

For more details and to sign up, visit the Penn State Extension website or call 1-877-345-0691.

Source : psu.edu

Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.