Farm Alarm: Coping with Stress
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL , FOOD , AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
John M. Shutske, Agricultural Safety and Health Specialist
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Michele Schermann, RN, Extension Educator
Ruth Rasmussen, RN, Program Coordinator, Partners for Farm Health & Safety
4 There's a call on the cell phone…..the
hired man has been hurt!
What causes stress for farmers
and farm families?
The list could go on and on for most people.
Farming is considered to be one of the top
ten most stressful occupations in the U.S.
Many stressors in farming are obvious.
Financial pressures, heavy debt load,
dependence on good weather and markets,
working in extreme weather conditions,
fatigue, lack of time for yourself, and lack of
time to talk through tough problems and to
cultivate important relationships are some of
those stressors. All these stack up against the
farm family.
Do any of these sound familiar?
4 Your paperwork for next year's operating
loan is due next week.
4 Who knows if the big tractor will make it
through another full season?
4 Should I go back to school?
4 Do I need to learn more about precision
farming?
4 What will happen to commodity prices?
4 Early indications are that wheat scab
might be back this year.
4 My spouse and I aren't able to talk about
our farm and our family the way we used
to.
4 I haven't had a moment to myself since I
started working off the farm to make our
cash flow work.
Stress can be a double-edged sword. A little
stress can be a helpful motivator. It helps
make life interesting. Too much stress can
damage your health, compromise your
personal safety, and ruin important
relationships with others. With the
conditions we are currently seeing in
agriculture, the risks of too much stress are
alarming.
This publication has been designed to
complement the Farm Alarm: Coping With
Stress theatrical presentation and other
events produced by Partners for Farm Health
and Safety. Staff of the Partners project have
(Continued on page 2)
Families can learn to successfully cope with the
stress of farming.
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spent considerable time talking with farmers,
community leaders, lenders, clergy,
educators, and others to learn:
1. What is causing stress in my life and in
my family?
2. How do successful farm families cope
with stress?
3. How can I help myself or others when
there is too much stress?
considerably less stressful by another.
Factors which influence our individual
ability to cope with stress include:
4 The presence of a social network.
4 The ability to cognitively assess the
situation and look at alternatives.
4 Personality variables (self-esteem, anxiety
threshold, problem-solving ability, etc.).
When you encounter a potential stressor,
your body responds by starting a complex
chemical reaction that prepares you to "fight
off" the stressor. This reaction causes:
4 your blood pressure to go up,
4 your heart to beat faster,
4 your digestive system to slow down (or
stop)
4 your blood to clot more quickly
If you were being chased by a saber-toothed
tiger, in the days of early man, your chances
of survival were better if your body was able
The goal of this publication and the activities
of the Partners project is to offer insights to
these questions.
Physically, what happens?
Stress is a person’s reaction to an “event” or
stimulus. These events or stimuli that cause
us to feel stress are called "stressors." People
differ in how they perceive and react to
stressors. An event or stimulus which is very
stressful to one person might be rated as
Too much stress is a factor in making farming one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S.
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to "gear up" and run like crazy. An increase
in blood pressure and heart rate and a
slowdown in your digestive processes meant
more energy could be directed toward the
task of survival. If your blood clotted
quickly, your chances for survival were
better if you were wounded. Today, that
physiological response to stress can be very
damaging to your health.
Top Ten Farm Safety Tips
Unrelieved stress is a known risk factor in
many of the leading causes of premature
death among adults. Conditions or illnesses
such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke,
and immune system disruption are all
associated with high levels of stress. Stress is
also a risk factor for depression and suicide.
What About My Safety?
Farming ranks as one of the most dangerous
industries in the U.S. Stress is a major risk
factor for being involved in a potential
farming injury. When a person faces
numerous stressors, he or she is often
distracted. This makes stressed out farmers
more prone to making the types of errors
that lead to a serious or fatal incident such as
a tractor rollover or entanglement in a fastmoving machine. (See Top Ten Farm Safety
Tips).
(Continued on page 4)
1
Buy a rollover protective structure
(ROPS) for older tractors. If an approved
ROPS is not available, avoid using that
tractor or consider trading or selling it
through a local dealer.
2
Replace all missing power take-off and
rotating equipment shields. Shut off
power equipment before leaving the
operator's station.
3
Make sure lights, flashers, and reflectors
on machines work properly. Always use
them when traveling on roadways.
4
Replace slow moving vehicle emblems
that aren’t clean and bright.
5
Prepare farm machinery before the busy
season. A well maintained machine will
operate more efficiently and reduce your
chances for an injury.
6
Use proper equipment and procedures
when hitching and unhitching
implements.
7
Never enter a manure pit, grain bin, or
silo without following confined space
entry procedures. The gases and
materials in these structures kill several
farmers each year.
8
Make sure that all workers receive
specific instructions on their tasks and
the machines they are operating. Be
sure they read and understand all
operational procedures in the owner's
manual.
9
Take the time to learn basic first aid,
CPR, and emergency response.
10 Do not assign jobs to children unless
they are physically, mentally, and legally
ready to perform the job safely, follow
directions, and can respond to
unexpected situations. This may mean
waiting until kids are at least 16 years of
age.
Managing stress and fatigue during the busy
season is an important step in preventing injuries.
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impossible (in any job) to totally eliminate all
stress, but that effective management is
possible.
(Continued from page 3)
Farm operators facing "normal" financial
pressures often do not spend the money on
eliminating farm hazards. Damaged or
missing shields do not get replaced. Old
tractors are not retrofitted with rollbars and
seatbelts. Children are often required to do
potentially dangerous farm work before they
are physically and mentally ready to do
these jobs safely. All farm safety efforts must
include taking specific steps to better cope
with the stress you are likely to face!
You Are What You Eat
Eat right….. It sounds way too simple. But,
we don't always do it!
No farmer would even dream of heading out
to the field in a combine to complete harvest
with a tank of low-grade, lousy quality fuel.
Yet, when the busy season rolls around, we
fill our bodies with fast food and other highfat, low nutrition junk. Worse yet, we don't
eat at all! It's worth the time to wake up a
few minutes early to eat a quick breakfast
and pack yourself a nutritious lunch. Make
sure to include a couple servings of fruits
and vegetables to munch on during the day.
Limit your intake of fatty meats, candy bars,
and sugar.
Drinking enough fluid also helps. An
occasional cup of coffee or a can of soda is
probably okay for most people, but make
sure you drink lots of water, at least eight
glasses a day to keep you refreshed. Water
intake is critically important during warm
weather. Here's an easy way to tell if you're
drinking enough: check the color of your
urine. If it's dark, you're probably not
drinking enough.
Children sense when things are difficult for the
family. Explain what is going on simple terms.
Kids who work on the farm should only be given
age appropriate tasks.
How Do Farmers and Their Families
Cope With Stress?
Get Moving!
Exercise is a natural and healthy stress
reliever. Physical activity provides an outlet
for extra energy generated by chemical
reactions within the body during stressful
situations. Exercise, especially during the
“off-season,” will prepare you for the long
strenuous days of work during the spring
and summer. If your doctor approves, even a
few minutes of brisk walking or other
aerobic exercise can have tremendous stressrelieving effects and will leave you feeling
less worn out at day's end. You would never
see an Olympic athlete or marathon runner
During the past year, Partners staff have sat
down with dozens of people to find out how
farm families are able to manage their stress
effectively. The actions described in the
following paragraphs come directly from
those discussions and suggestions from farm
families. Some of these actions prepare you
physically or emotionally to deal with stress
more effectively. Other actions such as
planning and education help to reduce stress
by making things less confusing and
ambiguous, and by increasing your level of
"hope." It is important to recognize that it's
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take on a grueling event without proper
body preparation. Yet, the tough physical
and mental work of farming is not all that
different. Getting timely exercise can make
life easier and put things into better
perspective.
often viewed as not being very masculine.
Yet, when both partners have open and clear
access to information and can help each other
find solutions, the job is often easier!
It's important to seek out help and advice
from those in your community who are
willing to help. Friends, extended family,
church members, and other people can often
provide support. No matter who you talk to,
the open and free flow of information often
helps reduce the confusion and uncertainty
that compounds the feelings of stress.
Learn About the Agricultural Industry
As an industry, agriculture is becoming
increasingly complex. Reports about
biotechnology, precision farming, the
Internet, complex marketing strategies, the
latest changes in the U.S. farm program, and
estate planning are now commonplace in
most major farm magazines and radio shows
geared toward farmers. Take the time to
learn as much as you can. Knowledge is
power. Successful operators have a handle
on the latest and most effective farming
practices and can take advantage of the latest
technological developments.
Keep Your Sense Of Humor
Simple laughter in the face of an adverse
situation actually helps break the cycle of
stress. You'll notice that it's easier to laugh
when you're around other people. It's one of
the reasons why coffee shops, restaurants,
and grain elevators are popular places
during tough times.
Avoid Unhealthy Ways to De-Stress
One of the unfortunate consequences of too
much stress is an increased risk of drug,
alcohol, or even tobacco use. These
substances only alter your perceptions in the
short term. Drugs and alcohol are
contributing factors in many farm and
roadway accidents. They can also be an
important contributing factor in the
destruction of important relationships. If
you are concerned about drugs, alcohol,
tobacco and your health and personal safety
or that of someone else, help and support is
available. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Have you ever been asked "What's bugging
you?" only to find yourself clamming up and
not wanting to talk about it? That's a pretty
common reaction that isn't always harmful.
However, openly discussing and venting
problems, concerns, fears, and frustrations
can be helpful and healthy. This is especially
true if you can eventually move from the
mode of just being "cranky" to working on
solutions to solve the problem. Families and
farm couples who handle stress well seem to
have the ability to communicate freely
between partners. For men, the process of
laying your worries and fears on the table is
Educating yourself about the changes in
agriculture can bring new opportunities.
You're never too old to learn. Take
advantage of informal educational
opportunities through your local extension
office, university, technical college,
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experiment station, or through private
sources such as crop consultants and sales
reps. Educating yourself takes time and
commitment, but it can help reduce stress by
providing you with a mental roadmap that
helps in planning and decision making. It's
not easy, but successful producers are doing
it, and they're feeling less stressed as a result.
Education helps build one's confidence.
Many communities have a variety of
educational and re-training options. Often,
these will prepare a student for a new or
supplementary career in agriculture where
they can continue to work with farmers,
crops, animals, and the land. Of all the
resources you have to work with, including
land, animals, cash, fertilizer, seed, and
machinery, your mind is your most
important and valuable asset. Take the time
to develop it!
might be unrealistic to shut down a complex
harvest operation for a couple hours to go
talk to your kid's teacher, we often miss
family events because we don't take the time
to plan. Then we may feel guilt, anger, and a
sense of loss. Take a few minutes once each
month to record important dates, events, and
meetings. If conflicts arise, communication
within the family will help you in setting
priorities and feeling less stressed out.
When you get really crunched for time (like
in the middle of corn or sugar beet harvest),
taking a few minutes on Sunday morning or
evening to review those plans and talk about
the week ahead can help everyone in the
family understand the time pressures. Such
communication can help build a team spirit
so that key tasks around the home and farm
get taken care of rather than dropping
through the cracks.
Planning Makes the Picture Clear
It's human nature for most people to despise
record keeping, paperwork, and planning.
Yet, good records and evidence of a longterm plan are often required by creditors and
others who allocate resources. Good
planning requires an objective examination
of current resources and future goals.
Usually, it's helpful to get some assistance in
this process. Accountants, attorneys,
extension educators, farm management
specialists, and lenders can help in the
ongoing process of planning, goal setting,
and record keeping. Like education, the
process of farm planning can help provide
the roadmap that reduces confusion,
ambiguity, and the unknown, potentially
reducing stress.
Helping Yourself (or other people) When
You're "Stressed Out"
Planning for Family Time
Have you ever missed an important family
event like a parent-teacher conference or a
reunion because you were too busy with
planting, harvesting, or general working
around the farm? Most of us have. While it
Because of the high level of stress in many
farming communities, there are higher
reported rates of depression and suicide.
The following checklist provided by the
National Mental Health Association lists
some of the common symptoms of clinical
Planning for family and personal time helps build
relationships and strengthens teamwork.
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depression. To help decide if you, or people
you care about, need an evaluation for
clinical depression, review this checklist and
mark the symptoms that apply. If you
experience any of these for longer than two
weeks, if you feel suicidal, or if the
symptoms are severe enough to interfere
with your daily life, see your family doctor
and bring this list with you. As a first step,
your doctor or another health professional
may recommend a thorough examination to
rule out other illnesses.
What About the Terrible Stress of Having
to Quit Farming?
Change of any type can be a major stressor.
People facing the possibility of getting out of
farming often report feeling tremendous
guilt and feelings of failure. These feelings
are normal. They are part of a process any
person goes through when they lose
something or someone they love. Remember
that many of the structural and economic
factors driving changes in production
agriculture are beyond your control.
Symptoms of Clinical Depression:
• A persistent, sad, anxious, or empty
mood, or excessive crying.
• Reduced appetite and weight loss, or
increased appetite and weight gain.
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not
respond to treatment such as headaches,
digestive disorders, and chronic pain.
• Irritability, restlessness.
• Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling
"slowed down."
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness,
helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism.
• Sleeping too much or too little, early
morning waking.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
including sex.
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or
making decisions.
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide
attempts.
At the end of this folder is a list of several
organizations and sources of information
that can help with making changes and
transitions. The choice of whether or not to
leave farming is probably one of the most
complicated and emotional that many
farmers and their families will make in their
lifetime. Help is available. Do ask!
More information about clinical depression,
treatment and symptoms, and referral
information for free mental health screening
is available by calling the Campaign on
Clinical Depression at 1-800-228-1114.
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Resources
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION SER-
RURAL LIFE OUTREACH—helps rural people
under stress. Northwestern Minnesota only.
218-299-3019.
VICE— County
extension offices provide
Minnesota residents with access to University
research and educational programs. Check
your phone book to find the number of your
county office or find it on the web site:
www.extension.umn.edu/
ADOPT/RURAL RESTORATION—Mission is to
help keep farm and ranch families on the land;
uses a network of families helping families
with information and encouragement. 1-800472-4674
FIRST CALL MINNESOTA—First Call is a comprehensive information and referral service
providing information on a wide variety of human services agencies, organizations and programs. 1-800-543-7709. www.firstcall-mn.org/
LOCAL RESOURCES
Contact the FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
INSTRUCTORS at your local technical or community college if you need help organizing
your resources in such a way as to help you
meet your family and business goals. For more
information, or to find a Farm Business Management Instructor near you, call (507) 2803109, or check their web site:
www.mgt.org/fbm/instructors/index.htm
FARM WRAP—Will meet on-on-one with farm
families to discuss adjustments in operations,
including technical assistance. Northwestern
Minnesota only. 1-800-543-7709.
MINNESOTA FARM ADVOCATE PROGRAM—
provides one-on-one assistance to Minnesota
farmers who face crisis caused either by a natural disaster or financial problems. Farm advocates are trained and experienced in agricultural lending practices, mediation, lender negotiation, farm programs, crisis counseling and
disaster programs. 651-296-1484.
Don’t overlook the SOCIAL SERVICES agency in
your county. Check the front section of your
white pages phone book for the number of
your county Social Services agency.
www.bae.umn.edu/fs/partners
www.extension.umn.edu
Additional resources are available to help farmers
and farm families cope with stress. For more information and a list of resources, check our web site.
The University of Minnesota, including the Minnesota
Extension Service, is committed to the policy that all
persons shall have equal access to its programs,
facilities, and employment without regard to race,
color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital
status, disability, public assistance status, veteran
status, or sexual orientation.
You can also contact Theatre at Work, a company
based in St. Paul, Minnesota, that develops and delivers theater-based training on workplace issues.
Theater at Work created the educational presentation, “Farm Alarm: Coping with Stress.” For more
information, call 651-698-2270.
Copyright © 1999, Regents of the University of
Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Additional copies can be requested at minimal cost by
calling 612-624-7444.
This publication was partially sponsored by funds provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
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