The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) a $500,000 grant to expand efforts to address stress, mental health, and suicide prevention among agriculture producers.
The grant will allow the KDA to work with several Kentucky universities and health organizations in a state-wide effort to provide farmers with mental health awareness and aid.
“Focusing on mental health is key to having a healthy agriculture community,” Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles said during an announcement on Nov. 5. “Farmers face all sorts of physical risks in their day-to-day environment. But many don’t consider the incredible pressure on their mental well-being. This grant will enable the Department of Agriculture and our partners to help deliver resources to help our rural communities improve their health.”
The KDA will expand its efforts as part of the Raising Hope – Supporting Healthy Lives on Kentucky Farms campaign with the grant. Raising Hope is an organization focused on supporting mental health for farmers and is partnered with state universities and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
The grant will fund initiatives for resource awareness, youth outreach, and farmer appreciation. With the University of Louisville’s School of Nursing, the KDA will launch a marketing campaign detailing stressors farmers face and mental health resources available for farmers. The KDA will aid the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment in developing a curriculum for schools to educate youth in rural communities about healthy mental practices. The KDA will also conduct a Farmer Appreciation Small Grant Program, which will support community-based farming projects.
A mobile app will also be developed to provide access to just-in-time care and educate users on best practices for mental health.
