New MSU Extension farm stress training toolkit expands resources for Michigan and beyond
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EmailMSU Extension has launched two updated presentations for agricultural professionals focused on farm stress management and effective communication with farmers.
Farming is essential to our food system and rural communities, yet the demands of agricultural life can create significant stress for farmers and their families. Since 2016, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension's Managing Farm Stress educational programs and resources have helped thousands of agricultural professionals and farm families address economic, weather-related and personal challenges. As Michigan's leading provider of farm stress education and outreach, MSU Extension has emerged as a national leader, delivering presentations and facilitator training materials through the Cooperative Extension network and via USDA-funded regional partners, such as the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center.
Today, MSU Extension is launching updated versions of two signature farm stress presentations featuring refreshed content, updated imagery and enhanced audience engagement. Designed to be both informative and interactive, the programs encourage participants to learn through discussion, connection, humor, hands-on activities and practical stress management strategies tailored to the realities of farming and agricultural life.
Brief history of MSU farm stress efforts
The original MSU Extension Managing Farm Stress initiative was built around two foundational research-based workshops, Communicating with Farmers Under Stress (CWF) and Weathering the Storm: Cultivating a Productive Mindset (WTS). In January 2019, a national train-the-trainer summit for Cooperative Extension professionals was offered to over 20 land-grant universities to provide both programs across the country. To support program implementation, an online, self-paced facilitator training course was developed, resulting in more than 100 professionals being trained to deliver the original programs.
Through funding from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and with resources from the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD), the MSU Extension farm stress educational programs have grown statewide, regionally and nationally for nearly a decade.
The original farm stress programs developed by MSU Extension have been delivered hundreds of times, reaching thousands of participants. Participants include farmers, farm family members, farm workers and a range of agricultural professionals, including veterinarians, lenders and agribusiness employees. Early evaluations showed successful outcomes. In 2021, a research article in Journal of Agromedicine was published highlighting the effectiveness of the MSU Extension Farm Stress programs to improve understanding of the impacts of stress and the warning signs of suicide among agricultural producers. After the farm stress presentations, 91.5% of attendees reported learning how to recognize warning signs of depression, suicide and mental illness. Additionally, 96.5% reported they learned where to send people for help. Participants also reported improved understanding of the current agricultural financial situation and greater understanding of the impact that stress has on our bodies. Rural stressors can include loneliness and social isolation, limited access to healthcare and other essential services, financial constraints, unpredictable weather and crop conditions, market uncertainty, labor shortages, caregiving responsibilities and stigma associated with seeking mental health support.
Updated content, more engaging learning experiences
In recent years, Dr. Remington Rice has provided leadership to the MSU Extension Managing Farm Stress efforts, serving as the statewide lead for the teletherapy referrals and working with a small team of Health Extension Educators to refresh MSU Extension farm stress materials. Both presentations are now available with updated content and more interactive delivery. The updated content emphasizes practical tools and takeaways, including stress management exercises and activities to enhance communication skills that are tailored to today’s farming challenges.
The Managing Farm Stress Training Toolkit is a comprehensive, ready-to-use educational package developed by MSU Extension to help agricultural communities address stress, strengthen well-being and support behavioral health. The toolkit includes the Communicating With Farmers presentation and the Weathering the Storm presentation plus a detailed Facilitator Guide that provides implementation instructions, such as co-branding materials, recommended teaching schedules, presentation tips and guidance for adapting the materials to local needs. Together, these resources provide a complete training package for universities, Extension systems, agricultural organizations and community groups delivering evidence-informed farm stress education and support. Expected outcomes of the Communicating With Farmers presentation include increased awareness of referral resources, stronger cross-sector partnerships among agricultural audiences and greater statewide capacity to support producers experiencing stress. Outcomes of the Weathering the Storm presentation include increased knowledge of stress management strategies, greater awareness of available behavioral health resources, reduced stigma around seeking help and increased confidence in recognizing signs of stress and suicide.
The newly launched Managing Farm Stress Training Toolkit can be purchased in the Spartan Spirit Shop.
Delivering updated farm stress presentations across Michigan
MSU Extension invites educators, farm bureau members, lenders, veterinarians, county officials and others to host the updated presentations with MSU Extension farm stress team members presenting to your audiences. Sessions can be offered to fit your time constraints and be offered in-person or virtually. Whether at a county farm bureau meeting or a statewide summit, these hands-on trainings foster laughter, build capacity and strengthen relationships in Michigan’s farming communities. For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact Dr. Remington Rice at riceremi@msu.edu (phone 231-882-0026).
Opportunities to further connect with MSU Extension
Michigan State University Extension also offers a variety of programming and resources to support yourself or loved ones undergoing mental health distress. MSU Extension offers programs such as Mental Health First Aid, which can teach you how to support someone who is experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis. A variety of other health and wellbeing programs are free and accessible, and you can refer yourself or a friend.
For those in the agriculture industry and their families, additional resources and information can be found at the MSU Extension Managing Farm Stress website. These resources include teletherapy services, an online Rural Resilience self-paced training and the AgrAbility project which supports people living with disabilities working in agriculture.
