farmer suicide

Across the United States, the Ag community is working to address the growing program of farmer suicides.  According to the latest figures from the CDC, while the suicide rate in the Ag industry is not dissimilar from the general population, the suicide rate among male farmers is twice as high as the non-farm community.   ...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a week ago confirmed its widely cited research on farmer suicides was wrong.   The research from 2016 reported that farmers have the highest suicide rate in the country.  That report found that workers in the “farming, fishing, and forestry,” job category held a suicide rate over four times the national average, far and away the highest in the study. 

On Tuesday, National Farmers Union President Roger Jonson wrote Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, asking that the USDA proactively address the farmer suicide crisis.  Johnson wrote many farmers and ranchers are coping with alarming levels of stress, and USDA should serve a critical role in providing support to farmers in crisis.  Jo...