In the heart of rural Sauk County, Brenda Statz, a farmer’s widow, shared her poignant story with Senator Tammy Baldwin during a farmer mental health roundtable. Statz recounted the struggles her late husband faced after selling their dairy herd in 2018, ultimately leading to his tragic suicide. The gathering, set around a kitchen table, shed light on the challenges and potential solutions for addressing mental health issues within farming communities, despite prevailing stigmas and stoicism.
“He kept thinking he was a failure. ‘I sold my cows. I’m not a farmer anymore,'” Statz shared, reflecting on her husband’s inner turmoil. “Because that’s not what you choose. It’s who you are,” she added, emphasizing the profound identity tied to farming.
The devastating loss prompted the establishment of the Farmer Angel Network, a grassroots initiative aimed at fostering mental health support among farmers, a cause Senator Baldwin hopes to champion and expand.
Statz’s experience resonates with many in the farming community, as evidenced by the increasing closures of dairy farms in Wisconsin last year, exacerbating financial pressures on farmers already grappling with economic challenges.
Randy Roecker, another farmer and founder of the Farmer Angel Network, underscored the systemic issues underlying the mental health crisis among farmers, pointing to the broader challenges within the rural economy.
During the roundtable, participants proposed various solutions, ranging from bolstering dairy profits to enhancing mental health services in rural areas, with Senator Baldwin attentively noting down suggestions.
“Most farmers, their incomes are so low, that you get BadgerCare and food stamps and here you are producing food for 155 other people, but you’re on food stamps yourself,” Roecker lamented, highlighting the paradoxical plight of many farmers.
Amidst the discussion, the alarming statistic that farmers are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide, as reported by the National Rural Health Association, underscored the urgency of addressing mental health within farming communities.
Senator Baldwin’s engagement in farmer mental health issues comes amidst the backdrop of election season in Wisconsin, where she faces competition from businessman Eric Hovde for the senate seat. Responding to Baldwin’s efforts, a spokesperson for Hovde’s campaign criticized her policies, citing concerns over higher taxes and inflation.
As the conversation continues, the need for comprehensive support systems and policy interventions to safeguard farmer well-being remains paramount, reflecting a collective commitment to addressing the mental health challenges plaguing agricultural communities across the nation.
