BONUS EP #1386 - How Farm Aid Fights Farmer Stress: Why Their Mental Health & Self Care Matters to Everyone's Food

Send us a text Summary In this conversation, Lisa Davis interviews Alexandria Ward from Farm Aid about the organization's work in supporting farmers' mental health. They discuss the Farm Aid farmer hotline, which provides support and resources for farmers, and the unique aspect of the hotline in addressing mental health issues. They also touch on the challenges faced by farmers, such as the impact of alternative milks on dairy farmers and the difficulties faced by mid-sized farmers. The conversation covers the advocacy and organizing efforts of Farm Aid, as well as the resources available through the Pharma Resource Network. The episode concludes with information on how farmers can access support through the hotline and other online resources. Keywords: Farm Aid, mental health, farmer hotline, resources, advocacy, organizing, alternative milks, dairy farmers, challenges, support Takeaways Farm Aid provides a farmer hotline that offers support and resources for farmers, including mental health assistance. Rural residents, including farmers, face higher rates of depression, substance abuse, and completed suicide. The identity of being a farmer and the pressure to succeed can contribute to mental health challenges. Farm Aid offers resources and assistance for various farming issues, including advocacy and organizing efforts. The impact of alternative milks and the challenges faced by mid-sized farmers are discussed. Farm Aid's Pharma Resource Network provides an online search tool for farmers to find resources specific to their needs. Farmers can access support through the Farm Aid hotline and other online resources. Sound Bites "It's so important that everybody gets mental health help." "We're listening for those stressors." "The identity of a farmer... any kind of perceived failure in your farming operation is a perceived failure as a human." Chapters00:00Introduction and Importance of Mental Health Help 02:07The Farm Aid Farmer Hotline and Listening for Stressors 04:19The Impact of Alternative Milks on Dairy Farmers 08:13Advocacy and Organizing: Farm Aid's Efforts 11:18Resources for Farmers: The Pharma Resource Network 13:02Accessing Support: The Farm Aid Hotline and Online Resources Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com Track: Surfing! by automaticbananas https://tunetank.com/track/5070-surfing!/