GROWING THE GOODNESS
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Talk In recent decades, suicide rates have risen across the nation, with suicide becoming the 11 th most common cause of death in the United States, a 36% increase from 2000 to 2021. Unfortunately, the farming community is not exempt from these tragic statistics. In 2021, the National Rural Health Association indicated that the suicide rate amongst farmers may be up to 3.5 times higher than the general U.S. population.
It’s no surprise that farming contains a unique set of stressors. Any number of things could go wrong on a farm, and most of them are outside of our control: weather conditions that damage the crop, domestic and international markets that can adversely impact the price of almonds, unexpected changes in policy or legislation that enforces how we run our farms, and so forth. In any given year, we confront one or more of these obstacles with a measure of determination and a stiff upper lip. We say to ourselves, “This year’s bad, but there’s always next year.” “We’ll get through it, we always do.” “This farm belonged to my grandmother, then my dad, now me. We’ve lasted this long; we’ll last a little longer.” The past few years have put the industry — our farms, our families, our communities — through the wringer. If it wasn’t the bad weather conditions during the 2022 and 2023 bloom, then it was the decreased market demand for almonds and declining prices following the COVID-19 pandemic or the massive storms hitting our friends in the south during harvest. Each of these events, and we know that there were more than just three, is a potential source of stress. We are naturally equipped to handle a small number of stressors every day, but when the stressors pile up without relief, we see the adverse effects of prolonged stress. So, why do we need to talk about these issues ? Let’s look at the numbers. According to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), rural populations like farming
communities have shown a significantly higher suicide rate than urban areas. Available information indicates that the suicide rate amongst farmers is 3.5 times higher than the general population. A 2020 study that focused on suicide rates by occupation revealed that the suicide rate for farmers, ranchers and ag managers accounted for 43.7 deaths per 100,000 population. This rate is significantly higher than that of the overall population and is the sixth highest rate throughout occupational groups. ¹ Prolonged stress can reduce our ability to “see the bigger picture” harming our view of the world. When our view becomes obscured by life’s problems, it’s easy to isolate and detach, which can lead to feelings of despair. We may exchange normal, healthy habits like eating a balanced diet, going to bed on time, and regularly catching up with friends and family, for unhealthy habits like excessive drinking and smoking or increased isolation. Problems like low yields, tight finances or bad weather could evolve from manageable to overwhelming. With our view of the world so obstructed, tragic actions like suicide, a long-term solution to short-term problems, may be more easily considered. Even if you aren’t struggling with prolonged stress, it’s more than likely that you know someone who is. It’s important to be on the lookout for warning signs, like significant changes in a person’s demeanor or in the upkeep of their farm.
1 https://extension.psu.edu/why-we-need-to-keep-talking-about-farm-stress
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ALMOND FACTS
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