Farmer Mental Health and Wellbeing
Physical Health and Safety
As farmers, your health and the health of your employees is your most important asset. Though this is often overlooked, it is vital to ensure that everyone working on your farm is healthy, both physically and mentally.
Physical safety risks vary from farm to farm depending on access to pieces of equipment, farm set up, and practices used. Risks might be associated with farm equipment, ergonomics, heat and sun exposure, air quality, and pest control products. It is recommended that all farms create an emergency response plan to outline protocols for responding to hazards and potential emergencies. There is a lot to learn about safety measures of the tools and mechanized equipment you might have on your farm. Take time to learn these and thoroughly understand the ins and outs of how these work. Never try to clear a jammed tiller or mower with your hand. The Power Tool Institute has resources for understanding machinery safety.
There are certain safety measurements required by law- the Division of Safety and Health – is the state division within the Worker Protection Bureau for New York State. Apart from this, it is imperative to set a good precedence to your farm crew by prioritizing your physical health and safety.
Farm Safety is a web page from Cornell Cooperative Extension that briefly explains what farmers can do to encourage safe practices and resources to promote safety.
Chainsaw Safety is an article from the Cornell Small Farms Program that highlights key components of promoting chainsaw safety.
Cornell Cooperative Extension- Agricultural Workforce Development offers educational programs that: Assist farm employers to understand and comply with state and federal employment regulations, help employers onboard new employees, develop the leadership skills of managers and supervisors so they create an engaging and rewarding work experience for every employee and communicate COVID-19 prevention practices and strategies to keep the workforce cand communities safe.
The Air Quality Index Forecast from the United States Environmental Protection Agency is the EPA’s index for reporting air quality. Every day the AQI tells you, based on the location, how clean or polluted the outdoor air is, along with associated health effects that may be of concern.
Safety on the Farm is a compilation of videos from the National Farmers Union that outline numerous safety practices farmers can utilize.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
As farming is a particularly stressful profession, ensuring you have adequate resources to manage stress, anxiety, or other mental health struggles. Similar to physical health, mental health will compound over time if not recognized or managed in the moment.
NY Farm Net provides free consultation services and personal counseling for farmers across the state.
Cornell Small Farms Be Well Farming Program creates reflective spaces for farmers to connect meaningfully and explore strategies that can ameliorate challenges and bolster farmers’ quality of life.
Mental Health Resources NOFA-NY offers many mental health resources for farmers in distress.
Extension Out Loud from the Cornell Cooperative Extension has a podcast about farmers navigating mental health challenges.
Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network is a USDA network that connects individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs. For more information about farming with a disability, illness, or injury please see the “Resources for Farmers With Disabilities” factsheet.
