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More Wisconsin farmers are seeking mental health counseling

The high costs and low commodity prices have more farmers seeking mental health counseling. 

Karen Endres with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s Farm Center tells Brownfield slowly, more and more farmers experiencing stress are reaching out for the free farm center assistance. “Last year, we paid for 444 counseling sessions for farmers or their family members.”

Endres says many farmers feel overwhelmed and alone. “There’s more isolation out there than ever and there’s also the time pressure and the financial management of these businesses. It can be too much some days.”

Endres says farmers should think about their own health as much as they think about herd health or crop health. “We use expert nutritionists on our dairy farms, right? We use agronomists to tell us about helping with our planting and our crops. Why not use a specialist to help with our brain health.”

The Wisconsin Farm Center offers free assistance, and they can also connect farmers from other states with the right resources close to them.

Audio: Karen Endres from the Wisconsin Farm Center discusses mental health counseling with Brownfield’s Larry Lee