Support Funding for Farmer Mental Health

Action Needed:

Urge your members of Congress to support the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) through annual appropriations and inclusion in the farm bill reauthorization, opposing any cuts to this key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) led program.

Background: 

American farmers and ranchers face unique behavioral health challenges that affect not only agricultural producers and their families, but rural communities as a whole. Volatile markets, financial uncertainty, rising input costs and inflation, natural disasters and extreme weather, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and geographic isolation can create significant and sustained stress. Historically, farmers and ranchers have faced a disproportionately high risk of suicide compared with workers in other occupations. In 2021, the suicide rate among male farmers and ranchers was 52.1 deaths per 100,000, compared with 32.0 per 100,000 among working-age men across all occupations, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Yet the producers who need support face some of the greatest barriers to accessing it. Rural communities often encounter shortages of behavioral health professionals, long travel distances and limited access to traditional care. Stigma around seeking mental health support can create another barrier. As a result, reaching farmers and ranchers often requires tailored solutions rather than relying solely on traditional clinical settings.

FRSAN provides a targeted model for reaching these individuals and their families, and supports a network of service providers that connects farmers, ranchers and others working in agriculture with stress assistance programs and resources. These efforts can reach producers through trusted partners, including health care providers and telehealth services, technical assistance providers, cooperative extension offices, veterinarians, lenders and agricultural organizations.

Congress first authorized FRSAN in the 2008 Farm Bill, but the program remained unfunded until the 2018 Farm Bill established a $10 million annual authorization. The bipartisan Farmers First Act of 2025 (S.2282/H.R.4400), included in both the House and Senate 2026 Farm Bill proposals, would permanently reauthorize FRSAN and increase its authorized funding level to $15 million, helping strengthen the network and expand access to critical resources in rural communities.

Counties play a direct role in supporting the health and wellbeing of communities nationwide, investing over $130 billion annually into community health systems, including rural behavioral health. County public health, behavioral health and emergency response systems are also often the provider of last resort when residents cannot access private care.

By investing in a network that connects producers with support through trusted local partners, FRSAN can help address challenges earlier, strengthen rural communities and reduce pressure on local systems. Supporting the program’s permanent reauthorization and increased funding would give communities greater capacity to ensure farmers and ranchers can access help when they need it.

Policy Recommendations

• Fully fund and reauthorize FRSAN: Fund FRSAN at no less than its fully authorized level of $10 million annually and include the Farmers First Act to permanently reauthorize the program with secure predictable, long-term funding in the next farm bill.
• Strengthen county-federal coordination: Support federal policies and funding that recognize and reinforce the role of county public health departments, behavioral health authorities, extension offices and emergency responders in delivering farm stress and crisis services alongside FRSAN’s regional networks.
• Expand healthcare access in agricultural counties: Direct federal resources toward reducing geographic isolation, provider shortages and stigma-related barriers to care, including continued support for telehealth, peer support and community-based outreach models tailored to agricultural communities\

Key Talking Points

• Urge your members of Congress to support full annual appropriations funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to address mental health challenges among agricultural communities. Counties also support the inclusion of the Farmers First Act in the farm bill, which would permanently reauthorize the program and increase its authorized funding level to $15 million annually to strengthen behavioral health resources for farmers, ranchers and rural communities nationwide.
• American farmers and ranchers are facing a serious mental health crisis that demands continued federal attention. Financial uncertainty, volatile markets, extreme weather, isolation and persistent workforce shortages all contribute to high levels of stress and depression in agricultural communities. Congress has an important role to play in ensuring farmers and their families can access support before stress escalates into a behavioral health crisis.
• FRSAN provides the dedicated infrastructure needed to address the unique mental health needs of agricultural communities. Through its four regional centers, the program supports helplines, training, peer support, workshops and outreach tailored specifically to farmers, ranchers and farmworkers. Congress should fully fund FRSAN so these proven networks can continue connecting agricultural communities with appropriate support.