Addressing Suicide in Production Agriculture
Production agriculture is one of the toughest industries to be in. People go to the store and buy their food, but they never consider the work that went into producing it. Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide than the regular population. Growing up in agriculture, I know many people who have been touched by suicide. The fact that it is so prevalent in the industry saddens me and makes me want to increase awareness of the issue. That is why I believe it is important to increase awareness of suicide withing production agriculture.
I was born into agriculture. It’s as much a part of me as almost anything else, and from the moment I could walk, I knew I would always be in ag. Growing up, it was common to hear about farming accidents. People would get their hand caught in a baler and lose a finger or a farmer would get taken by a cow and crush some ribs. But those were the good stories. What people don’t realize is that far too often, a farmer gets in an accident and doesn't make it home for supper.
These accidents are hard, but what might be even harder are the stories about the farmers and ranchers who felt so helpless that they took their own lives. It’s a story that goes untold, yet, in that agriculture community, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't know a story about a farmer suicide.
“Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.”
Farming has always been difficult. If the weather doesn’t cause issues, then markets and input prices will. The reality of agriculture is that 80% of farmers and ranchers are in debt, and the average farm is 1.3 million dollars in debt. On top of that, income from farming has been cut in half since 2013. (Leggate, 2019) American farmers and ranchers are struggling not just because of issues with general production but also because of the hostility being pushed by the general population. Now more than ever, farmers and ranchers are being villainized for simply doing what they love.
It is my hope that through discussion, we can increase awareness of suicide within agriculture and increase the support offered to our farmers and ranchers. Because everyone needs to know they are not alone.
My husband and I are the next generation of production agriculturists. Not only is it scary to enter an occupation with so much physical and financial risk, but the unrest caused by consumers also frustrates and concerns me for our generation. Not only do we have to stand strong, but more than ever, we have to speak out.
Sources
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-rural-communities-are-tackling-a-suicide-and-depression-crisis-among-farmers#:~:text=Farmers%20are%20three%20and%20a,unique%20stressors%20in%20their%20businesses.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/american-farms-billions-debt