Agriculture is a demanding industry that requires resilience in the face of unpredictable weather, financial pressures, and long hours. These stressors often take a toll on mental health — something that isn’t talked about enough in farming communities. Dr. Heather Fowler, director of producer and public health for the National Pork Board, expands by saying
Mental health is similar to physical health, right? We, it’s something that we need to build. Treat it like a muscle, and find those things that work for you, to calm you, to help you deal with stress, anxiety, depression, and really normalize and recognize that this is something that we all deal with.”
The National Pork Board focuses on improving the lives of pigs and people. Mental health is a natural component of the One Health conversation, which recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are intertwined. To protect one, we need to take care of them all together.
“So, the National Pork Board recognizes the utmost importance of protecting our people. That’s why, as we look at our strategic goals, we have three goals this year, and one of them is to improve the lives of our pigs and our people. So, as we find this opportunity here throughout the year, really we’re going to continue to put out those resources and remind our producers that we care about them physically and mentally.”
Dr. Fowler advised taking your time, seeking help when needed, and remembering that health goes beyond personal protective equipment. Physical and mental health are interconnected. There are resources, and farmers don’t have to go through hard times alone.
“I’m really happy to see that there are other associations out there, like the American Farm Bureau Federation, that have some really great resources. Ag Extension has great resources. So, we have those linked on our mental health landing page, and just by having this conversation, we’re reminding producers it’s okay if you’re not okay, and there are some resources out there to help you, and that’s part of that mission, right? It’s part of our We Care ethical principles. Our producers are our people, and we want to make sure that we’re supporting them in all the different ways.”