It is no secret that the success of Georgia ’s No . 1 industry rests in the manus of one key chemical group : husbandman .
But across propagation of granger who have passed down land and trades to their children , the pressing and stress that come with carrying on the strong agrarian bequest proceed to bestride — so much so that it has reached crisis point .
Partnering with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and other primal member , Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities ( DBHDD ) Commissioner Kevin Tanner formally announced a statewide coaction to address the rise mental wellness crisis for Fannie Merritt Farmer and family during a press group discussion Wednesday at the 2023 Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie , Georgia .
UGA Extension and its statewide married person will host a series of listen assembly and word sessions throughout Georgia to give agriculture communities a platform to reduce the brand surrounding mental wellness support . This week , the initiative listening session was hold up at Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie , Georgia . ( photograph by Sean Montgomery )
" Farmers are the reasonableness that the state ’s No . 1 industriousness keep to thrive here , said Tanner . " They break up their backs so we can wear cotton on ours .
" I personally know the strain of being a generational farmer ; someone who ’s dreaded each and every day of being the generation that suffer the farm that the family has raise for so many generations . "
But even with increasing recognition , the stigma around look for support has been a heavy barricade .
" ( genial wellness ) is not something that we like to talk about , " said Tanner . " But it ’s something that we ’ve dumbfound to learn to talk about . The truth of the matter is this is a life - and - expiry situation . "
According to a recent study conducted by the Georgia Rural Health and Innovation Center , resultant tell that a staggering 29 % of farmers have thought about dying by self-annihilation at least once per calendar month , and 42 % have think about die by suicide at least once in the past 12 calendar month .
Similarly alarming , many rural Georgians reported limited to no approach to life-sustaining genial health resourcefulness and other basic medical services .
Associate Dean for Extension Laura Perry Johnson and the newly formed Behavioral Health Team , led by Professor Anna Scheyett , see the fresh collaboration as a remarkable chance for UGA Extension to cover working at the forefront with increase support .
" In UGA Extension , we have a presence in all 159 counties , " said Johnson . " So , when issues go up , we ’re unambiguously positioned to be the boots on the flat coat .
" I ’ve see plenty of rural emphasis and plenty of farmer stress in my life . It ’s a gruelling military control , but it ’s also a wonderfully fulfilling occupation . We all know agriculture drive Georgia ’s economy , and it ’s very important for us to keep the farmers and the farm fellowship healthy . "
Scheyett , carbon monoxide - source of a recent publishing title " It ’s a swell life if you may stand it " : Farm wives in south Georgia discuss Fannie Merritt Farmer and family stress " has been inherent in develop resources and training for Extension agentive role to grow their expertise and answer methods .
One of the chief paths of the programming is that it is OK to ask for assistant — a substance repeat loudly by Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper .
" Those of us in the ag community of interests , those of us that turn up in rural Georgia , from a young geezerhood , we ’re taught to fend for ourselves , " enjoin Harper . " We ’re teach to take care of ourselves . We ’re taught to depend on ourselves to address the issues that we face every single twenty-four hours , whether it ’s equipment dislocation , something physical , or even if it ’s something genial .
Anna Scheyett , prof in the School of Social Work and UGA Department of Agricultural Leadership , Education and Communication , had a table at this calendar week ’s Sunbelt Ag Expo to spread the word about resources available through the Rural Georgia , Growing strong initiative . ( pic by Sean Montgomery )
" It ’s OK to ask for helper . It ’s OK to reach out to friends and menage . It ’s hunky-dory to pass out to your better half . It ’s OK to progress to out to your uncle , your grandfather , your best friend . Whoever that person may be , it ’s OK to have those conversations . "
Using a Georgia Healthy Mindset Grant , part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture ’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance connection program , the Georgia Department of Agriculture produce a $ 500,000 investment funds , provide much - need resources and creating consciousness around the exit James Leonard Farmer and their kinfolk are face .
With contributions from DBHDD , UGA Extension , Georgia Farm Bureau , and other local partners , one of the primary initiatives of this program is hosting hear assembly and give-and-take sessions that will be held periodically throughout the state to give farming community a voice and political program to reduce the brand surrounding genial health livelihood .
The initiatory forum was held at this year ’s Sunbelt Ag Expo , creating a founding to construct on for eld to come . It was a landmark consequence for the agrarian community .
In his end remarks at Wednesday ’s press conference , Harper gave a final , heartfelt message to husbandman across Georgia :
" Your success is our state ’s success . Our body politic ca n’t be successful if farming is not successful , and agriculture ca n’t be successful if our farm family are n’t successful . And our farm families ca n’t be successful if they ’re not healthy at base . "
origin : caes.uga.edu
