This resource booklet was developed by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, with input from many farmers, their spouses, and Extension agents and specialists. Much of the information here is from research-based sources on stress and well-being, such as the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and Michigan State University, to name just a few. If you would like to read the complete text from which we took the information, links to their original materials are provided at the bottom of each page of the PDF and also are listed below.
Special thanks go to Ian Marbuger, who compiled and organized this document, and to Diane Bales, Maria Bowie, Virginia Brown, Jennifer Dunn, Andrea Garcia, Stephanie Hollifield, Laura Perry Johnson, Andrea Scarrow, Anna Scheyett, and Emily Watson for their valuable input. We’d also like to acknowledge Jennifer Waldeck and the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication for their support.
Most especially, thanks to the farmers and their spouses of Georgia, whose input made this resource possible, and whose work feeds and clothes Georgia and the world.
References
page 4
American Psychological Association. (2022). How stress affects your health. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health
World Health Organization. (2023). Stress: What is stress? https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress
page 5
American Psychological Association. (2022). How stress affects your health. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health
Gucker, D., & Steele, E. (2020). Farm life is uncontrollable, know the warning signs of stress. University of Illinois Extension. https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/know-how-know-more/2020-01-17-farm-life-uncontrollable-know-warning-signs-stress
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2023). Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
World Health Organization. (2023). Stress: How does stress affect us? https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress
page 7
Fetsch, R., & Williams, R. T. (n.d.). Farm and ranch family stress and depression: A checklist and guide for making referrals. Colorado State University Extension. https://extension.colostate.edu/disaster-web-sites/farm-and-ranch-family-stress-and-depression-a-checklist-and-guide-for-making-referrals/
page 9
Cleveland Clinic. (2020, November 10). How exercise affects your sleep. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-exercise-affects-your-sleep
University of Georgia Extension. (n.d.). Eat healthy, be active. https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/detail.html/73/efnep.html
Vermont Department of Health. (2019). Tips for farmers: Staying healthy on the farm. https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/HPDP_WW_Tips%20for%20Farmers.pdf
page 10
American Psychological Association. (2013). Stress and sleep. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep
page 11
Breathing techniques
https://www.healthline.com/health/breathwork#exercises
page 14–15
Michigan State University Extension. (n.d.). How to talk with farmers under stress. https://www.canr.msu.edu/managing_farm_stress/how-to-talk-with-farmers-under-stress.pdf
page 17–20
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). What to do when someone is at risk.
https://afsp.org/what-to-do-when-someone-is-at-risk/#if-a-person-says-they-are-considering-suicide
page 21
Question Persuade Refer (QPR) and Mental Health First Aid training
https://www.farmandranchstress.com/training
page 23–24
Endres, K., & Wolf, M. (n.d.). Substance use in the farming community. https://farms.extension.wisc.edu/articles/substance-use-in-the-farming-community/
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, May 18). Alcohol use disorder. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243
Stallman, K. (2023, April 10). Raising alcohol awareness among farmers. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. https://www.siumed.edu/blog/raising-alcohol-awareness-among-farmers
page 25
National Institute on Aging. (2022). How to help someone you know who drinks too much. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alcohol-misuse-or-alcohol-use-disorder/how-help-someone-you-know-who-drinks-too-much
page 26
Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol and Your Health
https://www.rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
https://www.samhsa.gov
Alcoholics Anonymous
https://www.aa.org
page 28
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
https://988lifeline.org/
Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)
https://www.georgiacollaborative.com/providers/georgia-crisis-and-access-line-gcal/
Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities regional field offices
https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/regional-field-offices
Farm Aid’s farmer resource network request for assistance form
https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/online-request-for-assistance-form/
page 29
Farm Crisis Center
https://farmcrisis.nfu.org/
Georgia Council for Recovery
https://gasubstanceabuse.org/
Veterans Crisis Line
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
American Farm Bureau Farm State of Mind
https://www.fb.org/initiative/farm-state-of-mind
page 30
Extension county offices
https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices.html
Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger website
https://extension.uga.edu/rural
Georgia Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network
https://www.farmandranchstress.com
Extension’s Emergency Resources website
https://extension.uga.edu/emergencies
back cover
Thriving on the Farm
https://site.extension.uga.edu/thriving
