Breaking the Silence: Addressing Stigma and Encouraging Help-Seeking in Agriculture Communities

2:00 - 2:50 p.m., Thursday, September 18, 2025
Virtual Panel Only
Zoom Webinar URL link for attendees will be listed here two-weeks prior to date.

Many agriculture communities are in what are classified as “rural” areas. Often this can mean there are less resources related to mental and physical health as well as technology.  The inherent demands of farming, ranching, and agritourism often leads individuals into crisis without the proper access to support.  While agriculture communities are often tight knit and family oriented there can be strong stigmas surrounding masculinity, gender, mental health stigma and a reluctance to talk about emotions.  Societal expectations have also exasperated the mental health crisis in recent years.  In what ways can the mental health industry better assist both the individual and community when dealing with environmental factors such as drought, floods or fire?  How can attitudes change to encourage individuals to seek help for mental health issues? What technological strategies can help address mental health challenges in agriculture?  How best can families, peer support, and professional help work together to address the mental and physical health of our agricultural communities?

Presenters