The Back Forty of Agriculture

It is time to get down to the nitty gritty of this three series blog post. How agricultural suicide in rural areas is affected the most versus urban area agriculture. I am honestly not shocked by this, after the loss of my uncle and opening up my eyes… but some of you may be shocked by this!

Rural areas and urban areas share similar interests but also some differences. Most agricultural suicides occur in rural communities, primally in the Midwest. Small family farms are mainly located in rural areas, which is where several struggles are found in financial issues and family issues.

Farmers are among the most likely to die by suicide, compared with other occupations, according to a January study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study also found that suicide rates overall had increased by 40% in less than two decades.

You and I both know how crazy these statistics are and how important it is to get a stop in these statistics.

When you think of a small community? What do you personally think of? Support, hometown football games, bonfires and gatherings… yeah, that is what I think of as well. Which, all small towns and communites are like that. But, sometimes we do not think about how others are feeling, people are always putting on a show for others because they do not want to be the depressed one in the crowd. People do not want to be talked about badly in small towns, and sometimes that is what tears people down the most. You would not think that farmers or ranchers get torn down and about what the old retired guys talk about at the gas station, but it hurts knowing people talk badly about you.

Small town communities are fun but can be difficult at the same time. You think that you know that the person you saw with a smile on their face is living theirs best lives, but they might be dealing with cancer or losing their land… my uncle was very unpredictable when it came to this. We thought his life was PERFECT. He owned cattle, farm ground, had a family, owned the local trailer pak, and oh man… he hand TONS of friends! TONS AND TONS OF FRIENDS. Those friends were shocked that he decided to take his life… our driveway was packed of people within the first hour of his death.

I am beyond shock; my parents were and my grandparents. My uncle had just told my grandpa that everything was perfect, everything was fine! But, deep down inside… he was not. Which, when you show and tell people you are not it is hard, but now it is hard on our family that we did not know his struggles.

Living in a small town, you lose track of the fact that people can be facing challenges or unhappy with something in their lives. It is unfortunate that we do not have a super power to read minds, because it would make this problem a heck of a lot easier!

* My grandpa and his best friend.

I know that agricultural suicide is starting to get talked about more and more all the time. There are presenters are over attending conferences to address this issue. I attended the Women Running the Farm Conference in Manhattan, Kansas and the issue was addressed very well. I really enjoyed listening to the speaker talk about what issues could be causing the problem and how we can start finding ways to help those people. The presenter really reeled into the fact that opioids are being used. For example, a farmer gets in an accident and they are sent home with pain medicine, which acts like a depressant and can be addictive. I never really thought about something like that. But, I really enjoyed how they took initiative at the conference to bring up such a hard topic.

Alcohol is also a depressant that many people use, but do not realize it could be a depressant since you tend to drink with your buddies.

I was reading some article awhile back that talked about how rural areas see more suicide due to the fact that more people own guns, and I felt like that was a very untrue statement wrote by some bias people. What do you think? Some farmers may have taken their lives with guns, but I have heard of how some farmers decide to take their lives and blame it as a ‘farming accident’. Which really saddens me, because farming accidents are always occurring. Some farmers may find it to be the easier way out. But, not all suicide is accounted for due to the fact that some are considered farming accidents.

Farming accidents are a whole different topic, but it still important to bring to attention. Making sure you are aware of your surroundings and taking precautions as a farmer is very important. Farming accidents have a week dedicated to making social media posts and making people aware. I think it would be cool and possibly beneficial to have a specific agricultural suicide prevention week. Is anyone with me on that one??

I hope as you have read through these blogs, you have been able to think of ideas of your own. I would love to hear your ideas on how we can continue to conquer this problem. Also, if you have a story sitting heavy on your heart, reach out to me! I understand. I may not be a certified counselor, but if you need a little rant about something, I am willing to read it.

Agricultural hotlines and ways to seek help are becoming more popular. They are offering trainings for people in areas to help serve on these hotlines. I hope that there will be more offerings and way for people in rural communities can seek help.

Here is a list of ways to for farmers and ranchers to reach out for help:

· 800.FARM.AID

· Rural Health Info

· AgrAbility

· USDA

· Farm Crisis Center

· National Suicide Prevention Line