Mental Health

Gov. Tony Evers proposed a nearly $25 million package of bills targeting the state’s agriculture industry and rural communities, announcing the plans along with Democratic lawmakers at the World Dairy Expo.

In May 2016, my daughter, Marisa, passed away from an accidental drug overdose, leaving our family with very heavy hearts. I never thought any of my children would feel the need to experiment with drugs.

A pilot program aimed at helping farmers and farm families struggling with stress-related mental health issues is expanding to serve all of Illinois.

I am quite outspoken when it comes to my thankfulness to have had the opportunity to grow up in the agriculture industry and be involved in the many different aspects that it has to offer.

Do you suspect, or know, that somebody has been stealing from you? Maybe it’s items from your home? Or, maybe it’s your money? Or, perhaps you’re being pressured by someone to keep giving them cash.

On the farm, the “to-do” list never seems to end and only grows when the weather doesn’t cooperate. For my family, we found a small window when it was dry enough to wean calves a few weeks ago, and it has rained off and on since, delaying other much-needed work.

At some point we need to start making notes. Maybe you’re not there yet. But that day might sneak up on you when you discover that you’ve forgotten to mail the check for your property taxes. Or worse, when a police officer stops you and says your license tags expired — three months ago.

When it comes to basic first aid, it can be easy to know what to do to bind a wound, stop the bleeding and get someone to a hospital or clinic. But when it comes to first aid and mental health, what does that even look like? A new class from the University of Illinois Extension can help answer that question.

Right this very minute down on the farm we are hanging tough. One of my favorite movies is “The Replacements.” There is a scene where the characters talk about quicksand and when one thing builds on top of another until you feel you are going under. Honestly, that is what the last couple of weeks have been like here on the farm.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Wisconsin Farm Bureau and National Farm Medicine Center want rural residents to know that #FarmNeighborsCare.