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.png "Out of sight, out of mind: Farmers’ mental health")
Athavi Nishaanthan
December 05, 2025
Newsletter ArticleI never realized how accurate the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” was until I started my co-op work term at Farms.com. As a psychology major, I knew little to nothing about agriculture when I started the term. I made an effort to educate myself by reading a variety of articles on current issues within the agricultural industry. To say I was shocked by the amount of pressure farmers face is quite an understatement. Well, I always knew that farming was not an easy career, with its long work hours and intense physical labor, but I was blindsided by how stressful the career really is.
Before this term, whenever I imagined stressful careers, specific, high-paying roles came to mind. I pictured lawyers in pristine suits standing before a courtroom. Surgeons with scalpels ready to slice into patients. Soot-covered firefighters diving headfirst into burning buildings. I never thought about the farmers working from dawn till dusk through all weather conditions, managing harvest and livestock. Now, as I reflect on what I have learned, I’m astonished by the weight of each burden farmers must overcome each day.
Farmers experience unique stressors that can significantly affect all aspects of their well-being, especially their mental health. Uncertainty dominates farming like a cruel dictator. Weather patterns, natural disasters, and market fluctuations can change overnight, forcing farmers to adapt quickly, regardless of how manageable or costly it is.
Currently, one of the most significant burdens farmers face today is financial. This year alone, there have been tariff and trade issues, government shutdowns, increasing production costs, livestock testing positive for diseases, outdated laws and regulations, and more that push farmers out of the industry. The depth of each stressor farmers endure is an attack on their mental health. In the United States alone, for every 100,000 farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers, 43 commit suicide, which is nearly triple the national average.
Thankfully, there are resources available to support farmers with mental health and financial crises.
988 suicide crisis helpline is available for anyone within the United States and Canada. This helpline is available 24 hours each day and provides bilingual, trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate support.
Farm Credit Canada provides mental health and financial resources for agricultural and food communities within Canada. Their resources range from mental health assessment tools to informative materials designed to build financial and business knowledge and skills.
The National Center for Farmworker Health (NCFH) is a private, not-for-profit resource for farmers and health centers within the United States. The NCFH aims to support communities and organizations involved in farmworker health by offering training, consultations, information on health and safety, and resource hubs regarding mental, physical, and sexual health.
Food and agriculture workers across both the USA and Canada are encouraged to explore these resources, as well as local government and agricultural support websites, to find the assistance best suited to their needs. Others, like myself, are encouraged to reflect, appreciate, and applaud the hard work and resilience of our farmers. For more Career Advice head over to AgCareers.
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