In his weekly call with reporters, Senator Chuck Grassley took a moment to reflect on the toll farming can have on someone’s mental health. As an often thankless job, he says he wants farmers in his state and across the nation to know support is out there.
“As one of the only two farmers in the Senate, I want Iowa’s 86,000 farm families to know that I care about their family’s success and well-being, and preventing suicide is one of those ways. We all understand that farming is not an easy job, and we all want to make sure that they have the support that they need and the support that they deserve,” said Sen. Grassley.
Farmers die by suicide at higher rates than people in other occupations, according to the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline is available by calling 988 on any phone.
