Additional resources supporting mental health are helping to recognize underlying stressors farmers face.
Ohio State University rural sociologist Shoshanah Inwood tells Brownfield there are often invisible mental health issues in agriculture aside from suicide. For example, she says her research is finding postpartum depression is common and likely higher in rural areas.
“In almost every focus group we did, there was a woman who mentioned having postpartum depression, and over half of our national sample of farmers who responded said that they knew somebody or had somebody in their family that had suffered from pre and postpartum depression,” she says.
...
A new nationwide study is providing insight into childcare challenges in farm families and across rural communities.
Ohio State University rural sociologist Shoshanah Inwood tells Brownfield access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant issue for young farmers.
“I think one of the biggest myths that we’ve actually come across in this research is there’s an idea in agriculture that childcare is just not an issue for farmers, that there’s lots of family around to care for the kids, and yet you can also bring the kids to work,” she says.
...
The Farm at Trinity Health in Michigan is working on integrating nutrition into health care in the Midwest. Its mission is to grow a healthy community by empowering people through food, education, and relationships.
Amanda Sweetman, regional director of farming and healthy lifestyles for the Farm at Trinity Health says one of the goals is that nutrition security will be accessible to all, and diet-related illnesses will no longer be the leading cause of death in the United States.
...
A $20 million investment will help expand high-speed internet in rural communities.
The USDA says the funding will support the development and expansion of broadband cooperatives through the agency’s Broadband Technical Assistance Program. The agency is partnering with small towns, local utilities, and private companies to conduct the projects.
The initiative was made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $65 billion to expand high-speed internet access.
...
A bipartisan group of US Representatives is asking the Biden administration to address Brazil’s unfair trading policies impacting American ethanol.
Ed Hubbard, general counsel and vice president for government affairs with the Renewable Fuels Association, says Brazil imposed tariffs in February and that’s reduced demand. “We’ve still been able to get some volume in there, albeit a lot less than we normally would have, but most of that has been impacted by the lack of competitiveness due to the tariff that’s been placed on US ethanol.”
Twenty-one members of the US House including sent a letter to US Trade Representative Katherine...
On a vote of 314 – 117, the U.S. House has passed the agreement in principle to raise the debt ceiling and the Senate is now considering the bill.
Ag lobbyist Tom Sell with Combest, Sell and Associates tells Brownfield he is expecting the Senate to support the agreement before next week’s deadline.
“No one is totally happy, but everyone agrees compromise is necessary for the greater good.”
The bill includes a temporary expansion of work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
...
Iowa farmers are paying record high cash rents.
Iowa State University Extension economist Alejandro Plastina says the average cash rental rate increased nine percent from 2022 to 2023.
“Reaching a record high of $279 per acre as an overall average across the state. But we’ve seen that higher quality land saw higher percent increases.”
The previous record for Iowa was $270 per acre in 2013.
He tells Brownfield farmer profitability on rented land will be lower this year and likely next year too.
...
Disagreements between Russia and Ukraine over agriculture exports have put the future of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in jeopardy once again.
Jim McCormick with AgMarket.Net tells Brownfield Russia is demanding to increase its exports like fertilizers or the deal ends. “Every time we get near the deadline, the Russians complain that something’s not going right. They’re not getting grain out, they’re not getting fertilizer out. The grain that is getting out is going to the wrong countries.
...
