Bedford County, Virginia – You might think spending time on the farm is a peaceful escape, but for many farmers, working to protect their crops can be stressful.
Statistics show that this job has one of the highest suicide rates in the country.
Farming is all WP Johnson knows. He is his fourth generation growing wheat, soybeans, and many other foods we eat.
“We've been here since 1910,” said farmer W. P. Johnson. “We’ve been going ever since.”
Mr Johnson said farming is not an easy job.
“I can't explain it, but I know there's pressure to make sure our families meet their goals and take care of us, but also meet the demands and goals of our farms and our predecessors.” There are great forces at work for you before you even try,” Johnson said.
Factors beyond a farmer's control, such as bad weather that causes economic losses and isolation from the outside world, are just some of the stressors that can have devastating effects on farmers. Johnson lost his friend because of it.
“They milked milk for a living, tried to make a living, sold their dairy business, but realized they couldn’t make it because that was their life and tragically lost their lives. ,” Johnson said.
According to the National Rural Health Association, farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than other farmers.
There are resources available for those in need. Agrisafe launched a helpline specifically for farmers a few years ago.
“People who work in agriculture deserve to talk to someone who understands those stressors,” said Laura Siegel, director of health communications at AgriSafe.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the 24/7 AgriStress helpline. 833-897-2474.
“I hope that as future generations come along and things change, the openness part will help. Just being able to talk about it,” Johnson said.
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