On the lookout for troubling signals

A strong majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing the farm impact farmers’ mental health, according to a recent national Morning Consult research poll sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

With these pressures as a backdrop, there are clear signals to identify potential mental health crisis situations for farmers and ranchers, said Robin Tutor-Marcom, with North Carolina Agromedicine Institute. Her list of signals to be on the lookout for are below.

• Decline in care of crops, animals and farm.

• Deterioration of personal appearance.

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