SARE » Resources & Learning » Managing Stress

Managing Stress

Created with SARE support
Raylene Nickel | 2022

Tractor tilling into a mixed cover crop.

Farming and ranching are stressful businesses. One key metric of a farm's sustainability is its capacity to provide a quality of life that meets one of our most basic human needs - good mental health. This page highlights successful SARE-funded projects that are using innovative strategies to help farmers and ranchers manage stress.

Sustaining the Human Spirit in Farm Country

A course in skills-based suicide alertness prepared Ruth Linkenmeyer-Meirick for a desperate call from a friend.

The Biggest Asset Is You

Utah State University Extension educators have helped 385 farmers and ranchers “to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues in rural areas."

Changing Lives Through Better Communication

When Marc Cavatorta heard about a reflective, supportive retreat for farmers being offered in his area, he jumped at the chance to attend. “I was looking for some support,” he says.

Planting Seeds of Hope

Virginia farmer Leroy Hardy overcame his hesitation to seek help during a financial crisis, and now he's working with local organizations to convince other farmers do the same.

A Path to Farm Community

This reflective, retreat-style program helps busy farmers and service providers manage stress and reconnect with themselves.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

The USDA's Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) Program aims to establish a network that connects individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs. For more information, visit:

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.