Utah Farm Bureau's new podcast -- Cows, Plows, and Things that Grow -- recently released an episode addressing the topic of mental health and suicide prevention among farmers & ranchers, and rural Utah residents in general. The episode features an interview with Josh Dallin, Director of the USU Bastian Agricultural Center, who has managed much of mental health campaign for USU, as well as farmers Tiffany McConkie of Duchesne County and Tyson Roberts of Davis County, as they talk about the impact of mental health in agriculture and how we can help improve how we talk about this in agriculture. You can listen to the podcast HERE, or on whatever platform you use to download your podcasts.

Farming is a stressful occupation that is associated with increased levels of anxiety and depression. Multiple studies show that farmer suicide rates are 2-5x higher than the national average. Experiences such as natural disasters, extreme weather events, financial uncertainty, fluctuating markets, labor shortages, trade disruptions and other factors all contribute to extreme stress for farmers and ranchers who often live in a very isolated setting. Utah Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau are working to break the stigma around mental health challenges and encourage those struggling to reach out for help.