Emmer bill would tackle farmer suicide, mental health

Nora G. Hertel
St. Cloud Times
The historic Farm Beautiful can be seen from Interstate Highway 94 near St. Cloud.

Farming is stressful. Folks who grow food in the U.S. don't have control over the weather or the markets, and they may be isolated, said U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer. 

The District 6 Republican is drawing attention to farmers' mental health and a 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found people in agriculture have the highest suicide rates compared to other professional groups. 

Emmer has sponsored a bill to support local mental health services to farmers and ranchers in the U.S. He hopes and expects it to be included in the newest version of the Farm Bill, which is being drafted and debated. 

Potential changes in the Farm Bill to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, have stirred partisan contentions

Emmer proposed his bill Tuesday. It's called the Stemming the Tide of Rural Economic Stress and Suicide — STRESS — Act. It's based on a policy that passed in 2008, but never received funding to get off the ground. 

RELATED: Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer ask Electrolux to reconsider closure

RELATED: Rep. Emmer sounds off on Trump's 1st year, tariffs, immigration and more

Non-farmers don't always understand how different farming is from other professions, said Ted Matthews, the director of mental health for the Mental Health Outreach Program of the Southern Minnesota Center for Agriculture and AgCentric

"Stressors on the farm are pretty great," he said, from Grand Rapids in northern Minnesota. He travels across the state and provides counseling to farmers and farm families. 

"Dairy farmers are literally working for nothing," and some at a loss, Matthews said. "They do it because it's part of who they are. It's not an occupation; it's a way of life."

RELATED: Small dairy, big tech: Melrose farm has barn of the future

Farmers' identities are tied up with their work, which can make farm losses even tougher.

Because of the steep expenses of farming and volatile cost of commodities, a couple big mistakes could cost the farm, Matthews said. It didn't used to be that way.

Family dynamics also pose new challenges.

One member of a farming couple often has to work outside the home, even if they don't want to, Matthews said. "That creates a lot of emotional stress and trauma that didn't exist in the family (before)."

He sees the steep farmer suicide rate as a reflection of the economic and family stresses in farming today. He needs more help in the field, whether it comes from the state or the federal government. 

Dairy cows eat in a recently-built barn near Melrose on Tuesday, March 6.

There's a bill before the Legislature to fund more mental health counseling for farmers. It was on the Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Finance's agenda Wednesday afternoon. 

"We're looking to grow capacity," said Keith Olander, director of AgCentric. The requested $140,000 would go to bring in another staffer to help Matthews. 

That help is important now, because it's a tough economic time for agriculture, and a lot of farms are transitioning ownership, Olander said.

"This is just really a key time," he said. "We really need to grow that capacity to serve our families."

Olander and Matthews are glad there's movement to expand services by state and federal lawmakers.

It "makes total sense" to address the issue in the Farm Bill, Matthews said. He wants to make sure any new program in the area is specific to farmers and run by people familiar with farmers, rather than money for mental health care in general.

"Farmers don't call mental health care clinics. Ever," Matthews said.

Funding for Emmer's proposed program will be the challenging part, Emmer said. He's confident the House Agriculture Committee is interested and now is a good time for the policy.

"We're really reaching a saturation point when it comes to people recognizing the mental health challenges we have in this country," Emmer said. 

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 17, 2015.

The bill has nine co-sponsors, including Democratic Rep. Rick Nolan, from Minnesota's District 8.

Emmer knows there will be funding battles for Farm Bill programs. 

"Remember, everything is important to somebody," Emmer said. "The question is, where are your priorities?"

Nora G. Hertel: 320-255-8746 and on Twitter @nghertel