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Farmers' suicides in the United States refers to the instances of American
farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...
taking their own lives, largely since the 1980s, partly due to their falling into
debt Debt is an obligation that requires one party, the debtor, to pay money Loan, borrowed or otherwise withheld from another party, the creditor. Debt may be owed by a sovereign state or country, local government, company, or an individual. Co ...
, but mainly as a larger mental-health crisis among U.S. agriculture workers. In
the Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
alone, over 1,500 farmers have taken their own lives since the 1980s. It mirrors a crisis happening globally: in Australia, a farmer dies by suicide every ten days; in the United Kingdom, one farmer a week takes their own life; and in France it is one every two days. Almost 300,000 farmers have died by suicide since 1995 in India. Farmers are among the most likely to die by suicide, in comparison to other occupations, according to a study published in January 2020 by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the National public health institutes, national public health agency of the United States. It is a Federal agencies of the United States, United States federal agency under the United S ...
(CDC). Researchers at the
University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...
found that farmers, and others in the agricultural trade, had the highest suicide rate of all occupations from 1992 to 2010, the years covered in a 2017 study. The rate was 3.5 times that of the general population. This echoed a study conducted the previous year by the CDC and another undertaken by the
National Rural Health Association The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is a national nonprofit professional association in the United States with more than 18,000 members. The association's mission is to provide leadership on rural health issues, which it attempts to carr ...
(NRHA). As of April 2023, the suicide rate within the farming community exceeds that of the general population by three and a half times.


Background

In 1980, president
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
implemented a grain embargo against the Soviet Union as the "New"
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
began. "My net worth dropped $20,000 overnight", said Iowan farmer Wendell Tuttle in 2013. In 1985, after Ronald Reagan had been president for four years, the
Farm Credit System The Farm Credit System (FCS) in the United States is a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions and specialized service organizations. The Farm Credit System provides more than $373 billion (as of 2022) in loans, leases, and relat ...
(FCS) lost $2.7 billion – the largest one-year loss of any financial institution in U.S. history. That same year, 40-year-old farmer Dean Hagedorn walked into a bank in
Spencer, Iowa Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Clay County. It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan rivers. The population was 11,325 in the 2020 census, an increase from 11,317 in 2000. ...
, with a check for $94,000, the proceeds of that year's corn crop from his farm of . He planned to use three-quarters to keep his bank loan payments up to date, and to parcel the remainder out to other creditors, but the bank kept the entire amount. "There's a silent
atrophy Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), malnutrition, poor nourishment, poor circulatory system, circulation, loss of hormone, ...
creeping across the heartland", said Joan Blundall, a mental-health counselor in rural
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
, in 1987. "And I don't think anyone knows yet where we are headed.""What Five Families Did After Losing The Farm"
– ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. February 4, 1987.
As of 2019, farm debt was at $416 billion, an all-time high, and median farm income was projected to be −$1,644. Over half of all farmers have lost money every year since 2013, and farm loan delinquencies are increasing. According to the
National Rural Health Association The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is a national nonprofit professional association in the United States with more than 18,000 members. The association's mission is to provide leadership on rural health issues, which it attempts to carr ...
(NRHA), farmers' suicide rate is three and a half times greater than that observed in the broader population. From 2000 to 2018, there was a 34% increase in the suicide rate in urban areas compared to 48% in rural areas. In March 2023, the association, which has a membership of 21,000 including rural hospitals and clinics, submitted a letter to House and Senate agricultural committees calling on them to respond to what the NRHA's
chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
called "a deep-seated and longstanding problem." The association requested a tailored national crisis line to respond to farmers, along with funding increase for the stress assistance network.


Causes of farmers' suicides

Several causes of the farmers' suicides have been pinpointed: *Farmers experienced a loss of pride in being able to either keep their farm, or run it to its full potential. Some farmers expect to reach certain milestones, such as passing the farm on to the next generation or expanding their facility. *Prices for commodities such as
corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...
,
soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...
s,
milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...
and
meat Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...
had shrunk by around half between 2012 and 2020. *Farm debt had increased by around a third since 2007, rising to levels last experienced in the 1980s. Interest rates rose from single digits to 21.5% in 1981. A $28-billion federal-aid provision, rolled out by the
Trump administration Presidency of Donald Trump may refer to: * First presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration from 2017 to 2021 * Second presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration since 2025 See also * ...
over two years, did not provide enough to recoup income lost during the
China–United States trade war An economic conflict between China and the United States has been ongoing since January 2018, when U.S. president Donald Trump began Tariffs in the first Trump administration, imposing tariffs and other trade barriers on China with the aim of fo ...
. *Physical isolation can make it hard for farmers to get assistance for their mental-health problems. *Farmers often own guns, thus providing "an immediate means to act on deadly impulses". *The consolidation of rural schools resulted in farm children having to ride on the bus for hours each day. *Inclement weather, including the Midwestern floods and the droughts of 1983 and 1988, prevented farmers from utilizing almost in just 2019. *Soybean exports to China dropped 75% from 2017 to 2018. A study published in 2021 found that food producers have higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide risk (with
self-blame Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, or making negative statements about an individual or group that their actions or inaction are socially or morally irresponsible, the opposite of praise. When someone is morally responsible fo ...
being the only variable that had a significant association with this risk). In
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
, specifically, Eric Ramírez-Ferrero (who grew up in Enid) found that "large numbers of people could not keep up with technological progress and have had their expectations of a comfortable life frustrated." Zach Ducheneaux, administrator of the
Farm Service Agency The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is the United States Department of Agriculture agency that was formed by merging the farm loan portfolio and staff of the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service ...
, said: "Our producers are constantly expected to do more with less, innovate and improve, raise a family, preserve a legacy—and let's not forget feeding and clothing the world while we're at it." Financial pressures are exacerbated by international trade, pandemics that decimate livestock, and other global forces, as well as weather-related natural forces. Farmers perceive mental illness, such as depression, as a weakness to be overcome with hard work, and avoid seeking treatment.


Localities affected


Midwest

More than 900 farmers took their own lives in five upper
Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
ern states during the
1980s farm crisis The United States experienced a major farm crisis during the 1980s. By the mid-1980s, the crisis had reached its peak. Land prices had fallen dramatically leading to record foreclosures. Farm debt for land and equipment purchases soared during ...
, described as "the worst agricultural economic crisis since the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
". Between 2014 and 2018, over 450 more committed suicide, although the actual total is believed to be higher because not every state provided suicide data for each year, some redacted portions of the data, and some reported the deaths as agricultural accidents. 75 farmers committed suicide across six Midwestern states in 2017. That total increased by one the following year. Of those 76 farmers, eighteen lived in
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
and
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, fifteen in
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, thirteen in
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
and twelve in
North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
.


Iowa

47-year-old Philip Fetter, of Chelsea, took his own life on July 25, 1982, leaving his wife of 24 years, Norma,"Farm Crisis"
– Iowa PBS, July 1, 2013.
to care for ten children on her own, and to cope with overwhelming debt. Their farm and house were sold back to the
Federal Land Bank The Farm Credit System (FCS) in the United States is a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions and specialized service organizations. The Farm Credit System provides more than $373 billion (as of 2022) in loans, leases, and relat ...
at a substantial loss. Norma survived her husband by 37 years. She died in 2019, aged 85. On July 31, 1984, 56-year-old Kenneth Meisgeier hanged himself in the machine shed on his farm in Arlington after declaring
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
. He was found by his son. Meisgeier belonged to the most at-risk group of farmers, who were over 50 and could not see a way forward. On April 3, 1985, Daniel Cutler, of
Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Iowa. The county seat of Woodbury County, Sioux City is the primar ...
, shot himself at an abandoned farmstead on his way back home to his wife, Karen, after visiting family. Cutler, 38, left a message hinting at where his
suicide note A suicide note or death note is a message written by a person who intends to die by suicide. A study examining Japanese suicide notes estimated that 25–30% of suicides are accompanied by a note. However, incidence rates may depend on ethnic ...
could be found. "The opening statement of the suicide note was 'The farm killed me,'" Karen (now Heidman) said. Cutler became deeply indebted and the value of his farmland had depreciated significantly. On December 9, 1985, Dale Burr, 63, of Lone Tree fatally shot himself, in the presence of a police officer, after killing his wife Emily, 64; John Hughes, 46, a bank president; and a neighboring farmer, Richard Goody. 38. At the time of his death, Burr was in debt more than $500,000. He left a note beside his wife's body that said, "I'm sorry. I can't take the problems anymore." The news shocked the entire state, including Governor
Terry Branstad Terry Edward Branstad (born November 17, 1946) is a retired American politician who served as the 39th and 42nd governor of Iowa (1983–1999; 2011–2017) and the United States ambassador to China (2017–2020). A member of the Repu ...
, who knew the banker's family. Burr had been pressured by his bank, Hills Bank and Trust Company, to sell his livestock and machinery to pay some of his debt. He had been in a dispute with Goody regarding farming of land. Herman "Charlie" Behrens, of Sibley, tried to keep his family's 124-year farming tradition alive, but ultimately had to admit defeat. "I only had about $19,000 in loans", he said in 1987. "The same banker I dealt with all my life, he comes out one day and says the value of my machinery is $5,000 below the value of my loan. I said, 'You know me. I'm Charlie. I never missed a payment in all my years.' Then he points to the top line of my loan where it says ''payable on demand''. They'd call up at 7:30 in the morning. 'You got any money yet, Charlie?' they'd ask. And then they'd call back at 8:30 at night. I didn't know people could get that way. But, you see, they were scared, too, with all the problems around. And they figured they'd better get something out of some of us while they could. There were a lot of heart attacks around these parts. And then Jean fell sick." She died in 1986. On May 11, 2011, Matt Peters left a suicide note for his wife, Ginnie, on the desk in his workshop in
Perry Perry or pear cider is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally in England (particularly Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire), parts of South Wales, France (especially Normandy and Anjou), Canada, Austral ...
. He killed himself in his truck the following day."Why are America's farmers killing themselves?"
– ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', December 11, 2018
Barb Kalbach, a corn and soybean farmer in
Dexter Dexter may refer to: People * Dexter (given name) * Dexter (surname) * Dexter (singer), Brazilian rapper Marcos Fernandes de Omena (born 1973) * Famous Dex, also known as Dexter, American rapper Dexter Tiewon Gore Jr. (born 1993) Places United ...
, says that on the square mile of land where she lives, five different families used to grow corn, beans, hay, cattle and pigs. Since around 2005, the other four families have given up and moved out of town. Kalbach also now has to travel 75 miles to buy chemicals, and there is no longer a local farm equipment repair business. "All the thousands of farmers that have left the land — all the businesses have gone with them."


Kansas

John Blaske, of Onaga, said in 2017: "In the last 25 to 30 years, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about suicide." He lost his house in a fire on
Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
in 1982 which left him and his wife homeless. The farm crisis intensified around the same time, and their bank raised their
interest rate An interest rate is the amount of interest due per period, as a proportion of the amount lent, deposited, or borrowed (called the principal sum). The total interest on an amount lent or borrowed depends on the principal sum, the interest rate, ...
from 7% to 18%. Blaske filed for
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
and lost . In 2017, suicide was the eighth-highest cause of death in Kansas. This ranked at 13th nationally for suicides.


Minnesota

Larry Ruhland, 56, of Watkins, died in 2006. He killed himself on the farm he operated with his wife, Barbara. "I didn't put it together, because I didn't even think of the fact that Larry was under as much stress as he was under," she said. Barbara reached out to Ted Matthews, director of MN Rural Mental Health in Hutchinson. "He was a real, real guy who understood farmers and understood farm life and respected it but, at the same time, wanted you to understand how it could really suck you in and drain you completely dry", continued Ruhland. She rues the fact that her husband and Matthews did not meet. Meg Moynihan runs a dairy farm with her husband around ten miles west of
New Prague New Prague ( ) is a city in Scott and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 8,162 at the 2020 census. Although the northern portion of the City is located within the Metropolitan Council geographic area, the City of ...
. Her husband struggled with depression and anxiety, but recovered. Moynihan realized the importance of mental health and, in 2021, wrote a grant proposal that resulted in that year's
United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...
(USDA) award. In 2023, Minnesota
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
began training to prevent farmers' suicides. Around eighty
pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...
s enrolled in a month-long suicide-prevention program.


Ohio

Rural areas of Ohio have some of the highest rates of suicide state-wide, according to the
Ohio Department of Health The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for coordinating activities for child and family health services, children with medical handicaps, early intervention services, nutritio ...
."Editorial: Help for farmers who are struggling"
– ''
Toledo Blade ''The Blade'', also known as the ''Toledo Blade'', is a newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, published daily online and printed Thursday and Sunday by Block Communications. The newspaper was first published on December 19, 1835. Overview The first issu ...
'', October 10, 2021
Three farmers from the close-knit community of Georgetown committed suicide between mid-2015 and 2017. Several initiatives have been launched to combat the problem, including the "Ohio's Got Your Back" campaign.


Wisconsin

In Fremont, the Rieckmann family has been raising cattle for nearly two centuries. John Rieckmann and his wife, Mary, purchased a dairy farm from John's father, on land that had been in the family for three generations."'I don't know what else to do': Fremont dairy farmers fight to survive after 55 years"
– ''
Appleton Post-Crescent ''The Post-Crescent'' is a daily newspaper based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Part of the Gannett chain of newspapers, it is primarily distributed in counties surrounding the Appleton/Fox Cities area. History ''The Appleton Crescent'' was formed in ...
'', March 25, 2019
As of 2019, the farm was $300,000 in debt, and it was making only $16 for every 100 pounds of milk sold, a 40% decrease from 2013."'They're Trying to Wipe Us Off the Map.' Small American Farmers Are Nearing Extinction"
– ''Time'', November 27, 2019
In January 2019, Wisconsin had 8,110 milk-cow herds, according to the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection — 691 down on the previous year. Randy Roecker, a dairy farmer in Loganville, was losing $30,000 a month in 2019. He inherited his grandparents' farm, which they started around ninety years earlier. In 2008, when milk prices went down significantly, Roecker said: "I would get in the truck, and I would drive out on our back 40-acre field and sit in the truck and just cry. I never thought depression would happen to me. But this financial struggle and feeling that you're losing this legacy that your grandfather started and it just really played a lot with my mind." Roecker's neighbor, 57-year-old Leon A. Statz, committed suicide in October 2018 after financial struggles forced him to sell the fifty
Holstein Holstein (; ; ; ; ) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider (river), Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost States of Germany, state of Germany. Holstein once existed as the German County of Holstein (; 8 ...
dairy cows he had on his farm, instead moving into grain and beef farming. The relative uncertainty of their new venture caused Statz endless anxiety, even though the farm was actually prospering. Statz, who had inherited the family farm from his parents, began a part-time role as a meat cutter in a local grocery store, his wife later saying it was to punish himself because he thought he was a failure. Statz attempted suicide four months after the sale of the cows. He said goodbye to his children over the telephone, then swallowed a handful of pills while locking himself in a shed with farm equipment running inside it. His suicide note read: "I wish I never sold (our, my) cows! I'm a dairy farmer. I want my old life back, but I can't get it anymore. Every thing I do fails. I didn't plan ahead for this ... I really screwed up!" Leon's wife, Brenda, heard the tractor equipment running and shut them down, despite her husband's attempts to prevent her doing so. She opened the shed's door, to let air pass through, and called the police and Rev. Donald Glanzer Jr., the pastor of their church, St. Peter's Lutherhan in Loganville. Statz was hospitalized for three days. Shortly before he died, Statz explained to his wife how he felt: Ethan Statz found his father's body in the shed for the farm's heifers on October 8, 2018. In 2023, Statz's wife, his sons and his daughter-in-law were running the farm. "Whether he's here or not, somebody still had to get up the next day and feed the cows. Somebody had to get up and do the chores. The crops still had to be harvested that year. There's so much that has to do you didn't have time to just stop," Brenda said. As a direct result of the incident, Roecker and Statz set up Farmer Angel Network, a support group for local families in the farming industry. In April 2023, the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported on Statz's widow and mother to three children. Rain had been falling in the
Driftless Area The Driftless Area, also known as Bluff Country and the Paleozoic Plateau, is a topographic and cultural region in the Midwestern United States that comprises southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme ...
for weeks, which caused their fields to flood and delayed their harvest. "A note in the pocket of his work pants described how depression had robbed him of the hope and pride he had in running a third-generation dairy farm," wrote Elizabeth Williamson. Brenda was involved in the formation of the Farmer Angel Network. Emily Harris, a farmer in
Monroe Monroe or Monroes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Monroe (surname) * Monroe (given name) * James Monroe, 5th President of the United States * Marilyn Monroe, actress and model Places United States * Monroe, Arkansas, an unincorp ...
, is blunt with her perspective: "Just stop complaining about farming and quit. You can't make any money. Just be done." She and Brandi Harris shut down their 40-cow dairy in May 2019 after becoming several hundred thousand dollars in debt. They sold their cows but kept their barn, their house and about of farmland. In 2023, the ''
Green Bay Press-Gazette The ''Green Bay Press-Gazette'' is a newspaper whose primary coverage is northeastern Wisconsin, including Green Bay. History The newspaper was founded as the ''Green Bay Gazette'' in 1866 as a weekly paper, becoming a daily newspaper in 1 ...
'' reported that suicides in rural areas of the state continued to climb.


Colorado

As reported in 2021, drought conditions in western
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
over two decades also led to suicides amongst its farmers.


Montana

Montana saw drought conditions from mid-2020 and throughout 2021. On top of that, an invasion of
grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are amongst what are possibly the most ancient living groups of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grassh ...
s destroyed
rangeland Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savanna ...
and crops."'Mental health comedian' talks to MT farmers about suicide"
– ''
Billings Gazette The ''Billings Gazette'' is a daily newspaper based in Billings, Montana, that primarily covers issues in southeast Montana and parts of northern Wyoming. Historically it has been known as the largest newspaper in Montana Montana ( ) is a ...
'', November 10, 2021
In August 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture put the quality of the state's spring wheat crop was 67%, "poor to very poor", with just 16% being "good". This led to mental-health concerns in the farming communities.


New York

After decreasing demand for dairy, as customers turned to milk alternatives, a spike in suicides occurred in the state of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
around 2015, resulting in the closure of several hundreds of farms. Dairy sales accounted for about half of total farm sales annually. New York was the third-largest milk-producing state in the U.S. in 2018, according to a ''New York Times'' article, over 500 dairy farms around the state closed between 2012 and 2017. The population of dairy cows, however, was on the increase."When the Death of a Family Farm Leads to Suicide"
– ''The New York Times'', March 19, 2018
After a local farmer took his life in January 2018, Agri-Mark, a large co-operative that was one of his customers, sent its 550 members in the state a list of suicide and mental-health hotline numbers. "It's not unusual to get woken up in the middle of the night by a farmer who is potentially suicidal", said Hal McCabe, outreach director for FarmNet. Fred Morgan, of Eaton, was talked out of suicide by his wife, Judy. The family had become unable to repay six bank loans and debts to various entities. They declared bankruptcy, restructured their finances, and switched to producing
organic milk Organic milk refers to a number of milk products from livestock raised according to organic farming methods. In most jurisdictions, use of the term "organic" or equivalents like "bio" or "eco", on any product is regulated by food authorities. I ...
. They were able to sell at $43 per
hundredweight The hundredweight (abbreviation: cwt), formerly also known as the centum weight or quintal, is a British imperial and United States customary unit of weight or mass. Its value differs between the United States customary and British imperial sy ...
, which is about three times the average price for conventional milk. Switching to an organic operation is costly, however; for farmers in debt, it is not an option. In January 2010, Dean Pierson, a 59-year-old dairy farmer in Copake shot all 51 of his milking cows before turning the gun on himself. He had left suicide notes on cow tag cards, saying he was "overwhelmed" by financial and personal issues.


Oklahoma

Between 1983 and 1989, a study revealed that 160 Oklahoman farmers took their own lives – an average of 26 for each of the six years. 43 of the 160 cases occurred in the one-year period between 1988 and 1989. Self-inflicted gunshots to the head or chest were the most common method of suicide.''Troubled Fields: Men, Emotions, and the Crisis in American Farming'', Ramírez-Ferrero, Eric (
Columbia University Press Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's la ...
, 2005), introduction
The existing agricultural crisis line in the state, AG-Link, increased its services and expanded its team, allowing them to respond anywhere in the state. In the build-up to 1988, the team made an average of 120 annual intervention calls. By 1990, it averaged 175.


Pennsylvania

Brenda Cochran has been a farmer in Westfield since 1975,"Valley dairy farmers: 'We cannot keep this up'"
– '' The Daily Item'', June 27, 2019
along with her husband, Joseph. She said she knows of nine suicides related to low milk prices between 2017 and 2019. "It's very, very bleak for us, and many farmers I know are in the same boat. It would take a miracle to sustain us for five years." A member of Farm Women United, Cochran once had 300 cows; as of 2019 she had around 80.


Utah

In 2021, drought conditions in Moroni led to Wade and Tina Eliason suffering crop loss valued at over $300,000. Their farm received 20% of the normal level of rainfall, which is not a lot, given that Utah is the second-driest state in the country behind
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
. State agriculture officials estimate crop yields are down by 20% across the 18,400 farms in Utah. Water allotments were reduced by up to 75%, the deciding factors being how much moisture river drainages received and what kind of water right was in place (known as "first in time, first in right")."Drought takes personal toll as Utah farmers lose money, land and cattle"
– ''
Salt Lake City Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History 1 ...
'', October 25, 2021
Wade Eliason said his talks with fellow farmers and ranchers has, on occasion, touched on the risk of suicide.
Newton Newton most commonly refers to: * Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist * Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton Newton may also refer to: People * Newton (surname), including a list of people with the surname * ...
farmer ValJay Rigby is a dry farmer, which means he is completely reliant on nature to water his crops. He dry farms and has access to irrigation water on another on his Cache County land.


Kentucky

Between 2004 and 2017, over 100 Kentucky farmers died by suicide. In 2020, Joe Moore, who runs a farm, in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, went to visit his neighbor who was concerned about the lack of rainfall that summer and being able to grow enough hay to feed his cattle. Moore tried to reassure him, but three days later a state trooper visited his door to inform him that his neighbor had gone missing. They found his body several hours later. He had taken his own life.


Vermont

In 1964, Romaine Tenney died by suicide after the land his farm sat on was acquired by
eminent domain Eminent domain, also known as land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition, or expropriation, is the compulsory acquisition of private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and t ...
to build an interstate. He was born on the family farm and had only left the property for military service.


Gender

In a six-year study undertaken in Oklahoma, of the 160 farmer deaths by suicide, only three were females. This ratio is reflected nationwide.


Assistance

Crisis hotline A crisis hotline is a phone number people can call to get immediate emergency telephone counseling, usually by trained volunteers. The first such service was founded in England in 1951 and such hotlines have existed in most major cities of the E ...
s, such as Iowa Rural Concern, began to appear nationwide during the 1980s. In 1985, Kaye Hagedorn got her husband, Dean, in touch with a counselor, who told the farmer something shocking: he wasn't alone; countless other farmers were in trouble too. "And I learned", he said, "that I may have made some mistakes, but I wasn't a failure." Calls to a hotline operated by
Farm Aid Farm Aid is an annual benefit concert held for American farmers. History On July 13, 1985, before performing "When The Ship Comes In" with Keith Richards and Ron Wood at the Live Aid benefit concert for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine, B ...
nearly doubled, resulting in a drop in suicide rates. "Every state that had a telephone hotline reduced the number of farming-related suicides", says Mike Rosmann, an Iowan farmer-turned-psychologist. Rosmann received an average of seven calls per week in the spring of 2019 from distressed farmers. Conversely, mental-health care is often regarded as a "luxury" or an "unnecessary expense." An organization called Sowing Seeds of Hope (SSOH), formed in
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, connected uninsured and underinsured farmers in seven Midwestern states to behavioral-health services. It ran for fourteen years, fielding approximately 500,000 calls from farmers, as well as training over 10,000 behavioral-health professionals in rural communities and providing subsidized behavioral-health resources to over 100,000 families in the farming industry. It became the blueprint for a nationwide program called the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN). Although the program was approved as part of the 2008
United States farm bill In the United States, the farm bill is a comprehensive omnibus bill that is the primary Agricultural policy in the United States, agricultural and food policy instrument of the federal government. United States Congress, Congress typically passe ...
, it was not funded. Many American farmers live in rural areas far removed from their nearest mental-health practitioner. Urban counties in the United States average ten
psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...
s per 100,000 people, whereas those in rural areas have around three for the same number of people. "I would really give about anything to go and talk to people", said John Blaske. "If any one person thinks they are the only one in this boat, they are badly mistaken. It's like Noah's Ark. It's running over." In 2019, John Hanson, who runs an assistance hotline in
Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
, says that he has received calls late at night from desperate farmers, "including one sitting in his kitchen with a loaded shotgun and the lights out." In the state of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, NY FarmNet, a farm support group, set up suicide-prevention training after a downturn in its farmers' fortunes. It is not just the heads of the families who have been affected. High-school students in Oklahoma revealed that there was an unwritten rule prohibiting talk of their family's financial situation outside the home. This resulted in loneliness and depression, with the assumption that their situation was unique. Their parents' stress also affected them directly, often leaving them feeling like a burden. Effects of their situations were displayed by some with disruption of the classroom, while others endured "almost catatonic depression". They ''did'' want to talk; they wanted to talk to each other about their experiences. As the 52nd
executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of the ...
signed since his taking office in January 2021, president
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
wanted farmers to have the
right to repair Right to repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment. Right to repair may also refer to the social movement of citizens putting pressure on ...
equipment and to access to
retail market Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is the sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, ...
s. The order looked to broaden competition in several agricultural areas:"What Biden's New Executive Order Means for Agriculture"
– '' Modern Farmer'', July 2021
* a review of the
Packers and Stockyards Act The Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (Title 7 of the United States Code, 7 U.S.C. §§ 181-229b; P&S Act) regulates meatpacking, livestock dealers, market agencies, live poultry dealers, and swine contractors to prohibit unfair or deceptive pr ...
(including protection for
whistleblower Whistleblowing (also whistle-blowing or whistle blowing) is the activity of a person, often an employee, revealing information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe, unethical or ...
s regarding infringements of the act) * more funds for
meat processing The meat-packing industry (also spelled meatpacking industry or meat packing industry) handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of meat from animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Poultry is generally n ...
* transparency in food labeling and contracts The National Farmers Union (NFU) called these anti-
concentration In chemistry, concentration is the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Several types of mathematical description can be distinguished: '' mass concentration'', '' molar concentration'', '' number concentration'', ...
amendments a "monumental" step. "After suffering corporate abuse for so many years, it is reassuring that farmers may finally get a level playing field", NFU president Rob Larew said. "It will go a long way towards building the resilient, equitable
food system The term food system describes the interconnected systems and processes that influence nutrition, food, health, community development, and agriculture. A food system includes all processes and infrastructure involved in feeding a population: growi ...
that farmers and consumers deserve." As of August 2021, if a farmer wants to sue a company for
anti-competitive behavior Anti-competitive practices are business or government practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market. Antitrust laws ensure businesses do not engage in competitive practices that harm other, usually smaller, businesses or consumers. ...
under the act, they would need to prove the malpractice hurt not only them but the entire industry. "This time seems to be different", Christopher Leonard, author of ''The Meat Racket'', said, referring to the attempt
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
made during his terms in office, albeit with the same
Agriculture Secretary The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments The department includes several organiza ...
(
Tom Vilsack Thomas James Vilsack (; born December 13, 1950) is an American politician. He served as the 30th and 32nd United States secretary of agriculture from 2009 to 2017, during the Obama administration, and again from 2021 to 2025 during the Biden admi ...
). "There is a groundswell of support for antitrust reforms on both the left and right in
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
. If a program like this could ever get implemented, it seems like now is the best time in the past 20 years.""Biden Is Taking On Big Ag With a Bid to Help Family Farmers"
Bloomberg.com Bloomberg News (originally Bloomberg Business News) is an international news agency headquartered in New York City and a division of Bloomberg L.P. Content produced by Bloomberg News is disseminated through Bloomberg Terminals, Bloomberg Telev ...
, July 9, 2021
The
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) is a labor union representing approximately 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada in industries including retail; meatpacking, food processing and manufacturing; hosp ...
(UFCW), which represents over one million workers in the food, healthcare and pharmacy industries, said the order was a "strong step to support American workers". President of the
American Farm Bureau Federation The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), more informally called the American Farm Bureau (AFB) or simply the Farm Bureau, is a United States–based 501(c)(5) tax-exempt agricultural organization and lobbying group. Headquartered in Was ...
(AFBF), Zippy Duvall, said that the group would study the order's details and would work with the administration "to ensure changes are consistent with our grassroots policy, and farmers and ranchers are provided greater flexibility to remain competitive in our growing economy." In addition, the USDA announced a plan to invest around $500 million to increase the capacity of meat-processing, with the aim of giving farmers, ranchers and consumers more choices. It also said that over $150 million will be given to existing smaller processing facilities to assist them during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In August 2021, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig joined forces with
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
to provide funding to build an outreach program. This included a $500,000 grant to increase mental-health support to Iowan farmers. For direct assistance, Farm Family Wellness is open
24/7 In commerce and industry, 24/7 or 24-7 service (usually pronounced "twenty-four seven") is service that is available at any time and usually, every day. An alternate orthography for the numerical part includes 24×7 (usually pronounced "twenty- ...
, while IowaCrisisChat.org offers live communication with trained health professionals daily between 9 A.M. and 2 A.M. Two months later, U.S. Senators
Jerry Moran Gerald Wesley Moran ( ; born May 29, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Kansas, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was chair of the National Republican Senato ...
and
Roger Marshall Roger Wayne Marshall (born August 9, 1960) is an American politician, physician, and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator from Kansas since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2017 to 2021 as ...
announced $500,000 USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network grant to the
Kansas Department of Agriculture The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) is a department of the government of Kansas under the Governor of Kansas. It is responsible for providing services and expertise that promote agriculture and protect Kansas' food supply and natural re ...
, with the aim of connecting farmers, ranchers and others in agriculture-centric occupations to mental-health resources."Federal money to help Kansas Department of Agriculture help farmers who feel despair"
– ''
The Hutchinson News ''The Hutchinson News'' is a daily newspaper serving the city of Hutchinson, Kansas, United States. The publication was awarded the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service "for its courageous and constructive campaign, culminating in 1964, to br ...
'', October 29, 2021
Also in 2021,
Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...
introduced a Health & Farm Stress Extension Educator. Remington Rice will provide outreach throughout
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
but particularly in Antrim County,
Benzie County Benzie County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,970. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.
,
Grand Traverse County Grand Traverse County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,238, making it the largest county in Northern Michigan. Its county seat is Traverse City. The county is part of the Trav ...
,
Kalkaska County Kalkaska County ( ) is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, its population was 17,939. The county seat is Kalkaska. Kalkaska County is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area. Although it is located on Michigan's ...
,
Leelanau County Leelanau may refer to a number of articles relating to the region of the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan: Geography Settlements * Leelanau County, Michigan * Leelanau Township, Michigan * Lake Leelanau, Michigan Landforms * La ...
and
Manistee County Manistee County ( ') is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,032. The county seat is Manistee. The county is named for the Manistee River. Manistee County is part of Northern Michigan an ...
. Rice is the fifth generation of a farming family in Benzie County."Remington Rice: Training available to agricultural professionals"
– '' Record-Eagle'', November 1, 2021
In 2021, the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota ( ) is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and Nor ...
distributed funds to eleven local project partners via the department's "Bend, Don't Break" scheme."How a USDA grant is helping address the mental health struggles of Minnesota farmers"
– ''
MinnPost ''MinnPost'' is a nonprofit online newspaper in Minneapolis, founded in 2007, with a focus on Minnesota news. Content and format The site does not endorse candidates for office or publish unsigned editorials representing an institutional posit ...
'', November 12, 2021
Also in 2021, Frank King, a self-described "mental-health" comedian who has written for
Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...
's ''
Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show, originating in the American Media, United States. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest inte ...
'', spoke to farmers and ranchers during the Montana Farm Bureau Federation convention, drawing on his personal story of depression and suicide (his grandmother and aunt killed themselves). In 2010, King filed a
Chapter 7 Chapter Seven refers to a seventh Chapter (books), chapter in a book. Chapter Seven, Chapter 7, or Chapter VII may also refer to: Albums * Chapter Seven (album), ''Chapter Seven'' (album), a 2013 album by Damien Leith. * Chapter VII (album), ''Ch ...
bankruptcy and lost everything. He began making plans to take his own life, including looking over his $1-million
life insurance Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typical ...
policy. "I was worth more dead than alive", he said. King has given
TED Talks TED Conferences, LLC (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "Ideas Change Everything" (previously "Ideas Worth Sprea ...
on how to recognize signs of suicide and intervention methods. The North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, based in Illinois, offers assistance to farmers in twelve Midwestern states. As part of its five-year study, North Central found that almost 60% of the parents in a survey of 122 farm families had at least mild symptoms of anxiety or depression. This statistic was mirrored in their children, as was the level of the depression. Raising Hope is a partnership between the
Kentucky Department of Agriculture Kentucky is an agricultural producer in the United States. Value of agricultural products was $5 billion in 2012, of which slightly less than half was crops. Crops grown in the state include corn, soybeans, hay, wheat and tobacco. Historically, hem ...
, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, plus various state universities. The
Kentucky General Assembly The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It comprises the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets annually in th ...
has appropriated $500,000 to the support group annually. Wisconsin senator
Tammy Baldwin Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin (born February 11, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States senator from Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic Party (United Stat ...
( D) is seeking $10 million in the 2023 farm bill, to support an Agricultural Department stress-assistance network. It is the same total authorized in the 2018 bill. It is hoped that Congress will increase the network's funding to $15 million annually via the farm bill, as well as making it permanent. A telephone number, separate from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, specifically for agricultural workers, is also being requested.


See also

* Farmers' suicides in Canada *
Farmers' suicides in India Farmers' suicides in India refers to the event of farmers dying by suicide in India since the 1970s, due to their inability to repay loans mostly taken from private landlords and banks. India being an agrarian country with around 70% of its rura ...
* Farmers' suicides in western Odisha


References

;General *''Suicide and Stress in Farmers'', Hawton, Keith (
The Stationery Office The Stationery Office (TSO) is a British publishing company created in 1996 when the publishing arm of Her Majesty's Stationery Office was privatised. It is the official publisher and the distributor for legislation, command and house papers, s ...
, 1998) *''Agriculture in World History'', Tauger, Mark B. (
Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group is an international company originating in the United Kingdom that publishes books and academic journals. Its parts include Taylor & Francis, CRC Press, Routledge, F1000 (publisher), F1000 Research and Dovepress. It i ...
, 2010) ;Specific


External links


"Amid Trump Tariffs, Farm Bankruptcies And Suicides Rise"
– ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'', August 30, 2019
"A Deeper Look at the CDC Findings on Farm Suicides"
National Farmers Union
"Suicides in Farm Country"
– ''Brownfield'', agricultural news for America {{DEFAULTSORT:Farmers suicides in the United States 1980s introductions Agricultural health and safety Agriculture in the United States