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Farmer stress and suicides increasing

A farm management specialist says the economic downturn is taking its toll on farmers and their families.

Adam Kantrovich with Michigan State University tells Brownfield more than 90 percent of farms are family-owned and every member of the family feels the stress of a generational farm.  “Given the lower commodity prices that we’re presently seeing in a number of commodity groups, when you have that multi-generational farm behind you along with the financial stress, it really does become overwhelming.”

He says farmers in all sectors are dealing with financial duress which can take its toll mentally and physically.  “We have had incidents here in the state of Michigan of suicides and suicide attempts by owner/operators of farms as well as spouses and we have had additional farmers vocalizing thoughts.”

Kantrovich says there have been reports of increased farmer suicides and it’s impacting younger farmers the hardest in some places.  “These were 25 to 35-year-olds who had never lived through an economic downturn in the ag side before. They were relatively new to farming in the last five, ten years, and this is now hitting them.”

Kantrovich says it’s very important for stressed farmers to reach out to both financial consultants and family physicians to get help.

Kantrovich spoke with Brownfield during the Michigan Ag Credit Conference in East Lansing, Michigan.

AUDIO: Interview with Adam Kantrovich