September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you know the topic of mental health–particularly that in rural America and among agricultural producers–is very important to me.  It is my honor to be able to work, even slightly, in this space.

Photo via Stephen Reisinger

Ag Law in the Field Podcast Episode 

Each year, I record a podcast episode to honor Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  To listen to all of my podcast episodes focused on mental health, click here.  These have been moving, important conversations with experts from across the country and survivors who are willing to share their stories.

This year, my guest was Brian Reisinger, the author of “Land Rich, Cash Poor,” and the son of a farmer in Wisconsin.  I learned about Brian when he penned a powerful essay on the silent mental health crisis in rural America for USA Today.  In his essay and on our podcast episode, Brian tells the story of sitting on the back porch with his father the day his dad sold the last of the dairy cows off of the family farm that had milked for several generations.  His dad wept; Brian worried.  Brian shares his family’s story, the legacy of a neighbor who died by suicide, and the hope that kept his father going.  Please listen here or wherever you get  your podcast and share this with any friends, neighbors, or colleagues who might also be interested.

Resources

I also believe it is important each year to remind readers that there are resources available if you or someone you love is struggling.  You are never alone.  There is always hope.

988:  The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for anyone who needs support.

National Agricultural Law Center List of Resources by State:  Our friends at the National Agricultural Law Center have prepared a state-by-state guide to various mental health resources.

Oklahoma State University Extension Farm Stress Website:  Oklahoma State University has a great website offering resources, information, programming and fact sheets related to farm stress and mental health.

QPR and Mental Health First Aid:  If this topic matters to you, there are a couple of great training opportunities to help you know what to look for and what to say if someone you know seems to be struggling.  Mental Health First Aid and QPR both provide great information for participants.