New Online Platform for Agriculture Mental Health

Mental health and rural communities is now a more widely discussed topic acknowledging the need for farmers and ranchers to seek support when they're not feeling their best. Together all is an online completely anonymous peer-to-peer support community dedicated to providing help to the agriculture industry. American Farm Bureau Federation Media Relations Specialist Bailey Corwine has more information.

“It's available 24/7 and monitored by licensed mental health professionals. We know that a lot of times farmers and ranchers may not feel comfortable reaching out to those they know or even like a mental health professional in their community, there is still that stigma of like I don't want my farm truck to be seen as a local mental health office because I don't want other farmers and ranchers to know that I'm struggling but with together all it's completely anonymous. And then there also is the mental health professional aspect of it. So all of the posts are monitored by mental health professionals and if they see something that's concerning, and they think you might need a little bit more help they'll reach out to you.”

Corwine adds that this platform is structured like other social media platforms. It has been available in Canada for several years before it was piloted in the US.

“ They did a pilot project in Iowa starting in 2020. And when it went well in Iowa, they opened it up to Illinois, and they piloted those two states for about three years and then we actually just opened it up to all farmers and ranchers across the United States.”

AFBF’s, Bailey Corwine.