Chances are you had breakfast, lunch or dinner today. You may have found something to snack on or drink. If so, you have the agricultural producers and workers to thank. Food and other groceries do not magically appear on the store shelves. What you eat and drink comes from a farm in one form or another.
Unfortunately, feeding people worldwide is a heavy burden weighing on our agricultural producers and workers. Mental health issues are a growing problem across many demographics and occupations, but are hitting the ag industry especially hard.
The agriculture industry has the highest suicide rate of any occupation in the country. In Washington state, suicide rates are almost 25% higher than the general population.
As farmers, we know firsthand the hardships that our friends, neighbors and agricultural communities face. As legislators, we saw an opportunity to help. We secured funding in the 2024 budget for a work group to provide recommendations on mental health and suicide prevention for agricultural producers, farmworkers and rural communities.
The result of our work group was the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention for Agricultural Producers and Workers report, issued by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Our task force was focused on the contributing factors to the decline in mental health and what we could do to support the ag sector.
On average, two farms a day are lost in Washington state. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture, 3,717 farms were lost in Washington between 2017 and 2022. The state did not lose that many farms in the previous decade.
The sharp decline of farms and the mental stress are highlighted by the economic vulnerability of the agriculture sector, especially in Washington. Ag producers cannot control the price received for their crops, and most growers struggle to break even in today’s economy. They lack control over the cost of inputs such as water, fertilizers, labor and seed.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, farm production expenses have consistently seen annual increases. Here in Washington, the average cost for labor expenses per farm in 2023 was $144,323. This is 462% higher than the national average and completely unsustainable. Overall, production expenses per farm in our state are 76% higher than the rest of the country.
President John F. Kennedy once said, “The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.”
Those working in our fields and orchards are more susceptible to financial instability than others. Their health issues and social isolation exceed the norm too. The hours are long, the work is demanding and they experience a solitude that few occupations face.
Implementing the recommendations from the report will allow us to raise awareness and provide our agricultural industry access to needed care and services. Some of those recommendations:
● Integrate 988 and AgriStress Response hotline under a unified system allowing for swift accessibility.
● Expand community awareness campaigns.
● Establish one-stop support centers to offer mental health, financial and legal resources.
● Establish suicide prevention and awareness training for those working in the industry.
● Establish grants to study the regulatory burdens and economic impact on farmers.
● Identify funding sources and a comprehensive funding strategy.
The ag community is highly resilient. They do not farm because of the money. It is a passion that runs deep, and they take pride in knowing they are providing for everyone else.
Addressing the mental health challenges of our agricultural producers and workers is an investment in our agriculture industry, the health of our families, our rural communities and our economy. We now have the opportunity to lend a hand to those whose hands are producing food for us every day.
