May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Farmers and ranchers experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. This is due to many factors, including financial strain and weather-related stress. Dr. Larry Tranel, a dairy field specialist at Iowa State University Extension, said a lot of stress can make a challenging occupation even harder.
In his years of working with farmers, Dr. Tranel said there are tactics farmers can utilize to help manage their stress, like healthy diets and proper exercise.
If you are in need of assistance with your mental health, the Iowa Farm Bureau has a comprehensive webpage full of mental health resources. All of that information can be found at iowafarmbureau.com/Stress-Mental-Health-Resources.
