The Software & Information Industry Association recently named Farm Futures’ special issue, “Cultivating Mental Health – Inside Rural America’s Silent Struggle” and Around Farm Progress Podcast as finalists for the 2023 Jesse H. Neal Award. This premier journalism award represents a complete range of digital and traditional content disciplines and was carefully selected following a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process by peer professionals. The Farm Futures’ special issue is a finalist for “Best Subject-Related Package” and Around Farm Progress Podcast is a finalist for “Best Podcast.”

As a trusted source of information for U.S. farm families, the Farm Futures editorial team created “Cultivating Mental Health – Inside America’s Silent Struggle” with four goals in mind; to shed light on mental health challenges in Rural America, learn why rural people are reluctant or unable to get help, offer solutions to a wide range of mental health concerns, and to provide inspirational testimonials to foster more conversation on the issue.

“With this special issue of Farm Futures, we set out to lift the stigma that exists around mental illness in farm country. We wanted to show how real people overcame mental health obstacles, and to show readers how to find help when something just doesn’t feel right, either in themselves or when they talk with others,” says Mike Wilson, editor and content director, Farm Futures – Farm Progress. “We wanted to offer ideas that could help people in any family-owned operation communicate better, to reduce every-day anxiety that can result from working in a high-stress business like commercial farming.” Read the article here.

Farm Futures staff to be acknowledged for the award include Mike Wilson, editor and content director, Jaqueline Holland, market analyst, and Ben Potter, senior staff writer.

Around Farm Progress Podcast discusses all aspects of the agriculture industry. Experts share their first-hand knowledge about the seasonal topics that are on every farmer’s mind.

“I created the Around Farm Progress podcast as a way to reach our readers in a new way to share our stories, but the podcast has evolved over the last four years,” says Willie Vogt, Executive Director, Content and User Engagement, Farm Progress. “Today we not only get the back story about articles editors work on, but we also talk to industry leaders and innovators about key topics impacting agriculture. And I enjoy hosting.” Listen to past and upcoming podcasts here.

Around Farm Progress Podcast staff to be acknowledged for the award is Willie Vogt, Host and Executive Director, Content and User Engagement for Farm Progress.

On April 21, 2023, at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York, NY, 59 winners will be announced, culminating in the Grand Neal Award, honoring the most outstanding entry from among the winners in all categories. A panel of 136 judges reviewed the finalists in three stages to select the winners in 24 categories.