May is Mental Health awareness month and the American Soybean Association and United Soybean Board are wanting to offer direction to soybean growers who may feel anxiety, stress, or even depression through farming. Wendy Brannen is the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications with the American Soybean Association. She says the soybean organizations created #Soyhelp during the peak of the pandemic after surveying their members. She says it is still relevant today.
Although the concern for COVID may have retreated, Brannen says farmers are more likely to suffer the effects of stress than most other occupations.
The ASA official says stress levels are again on the rise with farming. She says such things as high fuel costs along with the high costs of fertilizer, seed, and crop protection products, cash rental rates, delayed planting, and on-going drought conditions are all factors contributing to the higher stress levels. Brannen says fortunately there are more resources available to assist farmers and their families when stress, anxiety or depression start to overwhelm them.
