The American Soybean Association is launching a communications campaign to combat farm stress and offer help during May, Mental Health Month. Help comes in many forms and from many sources, and ASA has researched a range of options that will be shared both nationally and by state soybean affiliates:

“Stress levels have crept up out there in farm communities for some time now,” said Kevin Scott, soybean farmer from South Dakota and chair of the ASA C-19 Task Force. “As farmers, we are all faced with varying levels of anxiety resulting from a host of concerns - the coronavirus pandemic, weather issues, China trade problems, and other farm stressors. But, knowing there are issues compounding out there and knowing how to talk about them and work to reduce them are two different things."

The ASA SoyHelp campaign will include the following outreach:

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“Emotional struggles are not one-size-fits-all, said Wendy Brannen, ASA senior director of marketing and communications and C-19 Task Force member. "Our team has researched resources to accommodate an array of individuals and their needs, and how they or their families can seek qualified help – and we are hopeful this campaign can melt away a bit of the stigma that sometimes still exists in talking openly about the tolls of stress and seeking help.”

Resources and guidance are available to address concerns ranging from temporary stress to ongoing struggles with anxiety and from depression to thoughts of suicide. Options exist for men, women, beginning farmers, veterans and other groups with specific needs or commonalities, including language and disability barriers. Some are specific to disasters, including COVID-19 and how the pandemic has increased instances of or worsened levels of stress. States have local and regional resources available, including information on telehealth options, financial resources, and government offices able to assist with farm operation issues.

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“We want these resources to resonate regardless of age, location, gender, or what circumstances have led to needing a hand. It could be a long-time farmer who feels trapped by the current situation, a young person just starting out with concerns about financial hardships, or family members out there trying to navigate how to help in any number of scenarios,” said Brannen.

The resources include:

Toolkits are available for individuals or others interested in sharing directly.

Source: American Soybean Association, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.