Sen. Vogel hosts public hearing on mental health in farming
On the fifth day of the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg on Wednesday, Jan. 14, state Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, presided over a joint public information hearing to shed light on the mental health crisis affecting Pennsylvania’s farmers, and to promote resources to support farmers in need.
“When we think about agriculture, you don’t think about mental health,” said state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-121st, who co-hosted the panel. “The discipline and work ethic of a farmer and their family is incredible in order to produce the product with the varying amount of problems that occur … and I think the average person has no concept of the kinds of pressures that farmers deal with.”
Even at the best of times, farming is a uniquely stressful profession, as their livelihood can shift on a dime depending on numerous factors beyond their control — everything from the economy to Mother Nature.
“The market can increase or decrease. My dad compared it to gambling,” said farmer Brittany Speer, a member of the Butler County Farm Bureau. “Modern technology is great for helping with a lot of stuff, but whenever that goes wrong, you could be down for a week or more. And then everything a farmer does is dependent on weather.”
In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, with widespread inflation and the economic impact of tariffs, most Pennsylvania farmers would agree they are not facing ideal circumstances.
“The prices of everything are still not that great compared to where they were several years ago,” Speer said. “The pricing of everything continues to increase, but the price of what you can sell corn for is still the same as it was a couple years ago.”
One of the guest panelists, Dr. Florence Becot of Penn State University’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, shared a story she was told of a farmer named Duane who lost his family’s 12-generation-old dairy farm due to financial difficulties.
“There were barely any dry eyes in the room once Duane finished relaying his story,” Becot said. “He talked about his incredible sense of guilt for being the last generation on the farm despite having worked so hard. He said he had felt powerless in the face of forces outside of his control. … Unfortunately, Duane’s story is one that exemplifies the stories I have heard over and over again in my work with agricultural communities.”
Speer, who says she took notice of Wednesday’s public hearing, has personally taken action to address the mental-health crisis in farming.
“I can tell you firsthand that it never really shuts off,” Speer said. “People think about it all the time. They don’t ever turn it off. It just never leaves the brain. It’s always on top of your mind.”
Speer herself has taken matters into her own hands to check on the mental health of her fellow farmers, as well as the wider farming community in Butler County.
“I got certified to become an advocate listener, to understand when people are in need of help more than just talking through it,” Speer said. “And personally, I have been checking in, you know, a lot of my local farming friends and just making sure that they're OK, because we’re all feeling it in the industry. It's all affecting us differently.
“I would say that checking in with them, listening to them, and just letting them know that you’re always one phone call away is a huge help.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture also maintains the AgriStress Helpline, which is available 24/7 at 833-897-AGRI (2474). Trained professionals are available to provide mental health support to farmers in need, and to point farmers to available resources.
