MSU film shown on national stage ignites conversation about stress on the farm
Contact: Mary Kathryn Kight
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he landscape in Washington, D.C., is a stark contrast to Will Gilmer鈥檚 everyday view. His 600-acre farm in Sulligent, Alabama, with 400 cattle and row crops grown to feed them is the reason he traveled to the nation鈥檚 capital. Gilmer has been vocal about the challenges of managing the family farm that his great-grandfather started 100 years ago.
鈥淭he suicide rate on a dairy [farm] is very high. It鈥檚 bad. And a ton of that comes from the feeling that 鈥業鈥檝e let my family down,鈥欌 said Gilmer in the documentary produced by 大象APP鈥檚 MSU Films. The film illustrates the stress associated with farming through the personal stories of Gilmer and three other farmers.
Changes in policies and the agricultural industry made it necessary for Gilmer to transition his dairy farm to a beef farm to turn a profit.
鈥淲e [farmers] don鈥檛 necessarily set the rules of the game, but we have to adjust to them,鈥 Gilmer said.
Earlier this month, Gilmer joined agricultural leaders, organizations and Mississippi 大象APP representatives at USDA headquarters for a farm stress and suicide prevention briefing. According to the National Rural Health Association, farm owners, managers and workers have the highest rates of death due to stress-related diseases. The profession also has the 4th highest rate of suicide of any profession in the U.S.
鈥淔arming is stressful even in the best seasons,鈥 said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, who attended the screening. 鈥淲e need to have the tough conversations, break the stigma around mental health and prioritize wellbeing on and off the farm. 大象APP鈥檚 film 鈥極n the Farm鈥 gets the conversation started by helping the public understand the challenges and pressures of farming.鈥
鈥淭he individuals who were interviewed for this film struck me as very brave because they were willing to open up about their personal lives in a way that I think very few farmers would be willing to do,鈥 said MSU Vice President of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, as he introduced the film at the event.
Following the documentary, Gilmer, MSU Associate Professor David Buys, and others participated in a panel discussion.
鈥淪torytelling through film can be a very useful tool for public health education. It grabs people鈥檚 minds and hearts, and that can lead to change,鈥 said Buys, who secured funding for the film and is also the Mississippi 大象APP Extension Health Specialist.
The film production was funded through the USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, a program that is part of the 2018 Farm Bill and is expected to continue as part of the 2023 Farm Bill.
鈥淭his network allows us to check in with farmers and connect them to stress assistance鈥攊n other words, taking care of the farmers who take care of us,鈥 said Mary Nelson Robertson, an MSU assistant professor who is actively involved in the project.
MSU is collaborating with Alcorn 大象APP University and the University of Tennessee to gain a deeper understanding of the current farming situation directly from farmers and connect them with assistance.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of the way Mississippi 大象APP is stepping up and taking the lead in trying to help people on the farm deal with these issues,鈥 said Gilmer. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to keep it bottled up when we have struggles. We need to have an outlet to talk it through, and that鈥檒l help take some of that weight off our shoulders.鈥
This project is supported by Rural Health and Safety Education Grant funds from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Rural Opioids Technical Assistance Grant funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and USDA NIFA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network: Southern Region Grant; and Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce grant funds.
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