Episode 4 - Navigating Farm Financial Stress and Promoting Producer Well-Being

In this episode of the FARM Champion podcast, Ahlishia Shipley talks with Erica Barnes Fields about farm financial stress and its impact on producer well-being. They discuss common warning signs, why producers face unique pressures, and how the FARM Champion network and other resources can help connect farmers with support. 

Transcript

00;00;00;06 - 00;00;45;01
Ahlishia Shipley
You're listening to the FARM Champion podcast, where we champion farmer and rancher success. In each episode, we sit down with a farm champion, a trusted professional committed to helping producers navigate the business side of agriculture. If you're a farmer, rancher or agricultural professional working to build stronger, more resilient operations, this show is for you.

00;00;45;04 - 00;01;07;23
Ahlishia Shipley
I'm Dr. Ahlishia Shipley, your host. Joining me today is Erica Barnes Fields, associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center, licensed therapist, as well as a certified financial social worker who works closely with farmers and ranchers on managing financial stress and building resilience. Erica is also a FARM Champion. Erica, thank you so much for joining me today.

00;01;07;25 - 00;01;21;15
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you for having me. So, Erica, you really work closely with agriculture communities and see firsthand how financial pressures affect farmers and ranchers. From your perspective, what does financial stress and agriculture really look like today?

00;01;21;18 - 00;01;48;03
Erica Fields
Well, financial stress in ag today, it doesn't just show up on the balance sheet. It actually also shows up in the farmer's behavior. It may look like a farmer or rancher stretching not only their resources, but also themselves. They may be delaying equipment repairs past the safety point. They may be missing or avoiding lender payments or communication, and may also be taking on additional work or jobs just to keep the farm afloat.

00;01;48;04 - 00;02;19;13
Erica Fields
It also shows up in the way that farmer functions or behaves. Decision making can become harder, family relationships could grow strained, and financial stress also sometimes turn up in silence or secrets kept away from the family. And because most farms are multi-generational, family farms, family legacies, the impact of financial strain goes far beyond the operation. It affects the family and ripples through the entire ag community.

00;02;19;14 - 00;02;35;11
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much for sharing that context with us. So farming has always involved risk, but the pressures today seem especially complex. From your work in the field, so to speak, with producers, why are farmers and ranchers particularly vulnerable to financial stress today?

00;02;35;12 - 00;03;04;28
Erica Fields
Farmers face a unique combination of challenges that increase their vulnerability to financial stress. I will highlight five of those reasons. One would be identity loss. So for many producers, farming is not just a job. It's a passion, a legacy, and often a calling. So when a farmer faces bankruptcy or is forced out of business, the loss often feels more like a personal failure, not just a business setback.

00;03;04;29 - 00;03;30;06
Erica Fields
The second will be lack of control. So in ag, lack of control is a constant pressure, because farmers often have little to no influence on the prices that they pay for inputs or the prices that they receive for their products. The third one would be farms are often multi-generational, which are closely held family operations woven deeply into the family's legacy.

00;03;30;07 - 00;03;54;20
Erica Fields
So if a farm is lost, it's not just land or income that disappears. It also feels like losing tradition or a piece of the family's history. The fourth reason that increases their vulnerability is faith-based culture. So for many farmers and ranchers, prayer is often the first and only coping tool. So with stress or financial stress becomes overwhelming,

00;03;54;21 - 00;04;29;03
Erica Fields
some farmers may feel spiritually abandoned. And the fifth reason that I would like to highlight, is that many farmers and ranchers live in rural areas, where daily life revolves around family and farm operation. This physical isolation limits opportunities for emotional connection and early recognition of financial stress related symptoms. And further exasperating the issue of rural isolation, many producers live far, far away from behavioral health providers or even lack access to confidential support services.

00;04;29;03 - 00;04;47;25
Erica Fields
So to reiterate the five reasons that increase farmers’ vulnerability to financial stress, they are: identity loss, lack of control, multi-generational farms, faith-based culture where prayer is often the only coping tool, and the fifth reason is the rural isolation.

00;04;48;00 - 00;05;11;18
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much, Erica. Each of those examples really speak to how multidimensional this issue is. And, you know, you're outlining those examples really brings this issue into focus. And so I appreciate you sharing that information that, you know, many of us may not hear very often. So I want to shift to kind of how this shows up or how maybe often it doesn't show up.

00;05;11;19 - 00;05;24;21
Ahlishia Shipley
One of the challenges is that financial stress isn't always visible at first. So Erica, what are some of the warning signs that someone in the agricultural community might notice when a farmer is experiencing significant financial stress?

00;05;24;22 - 00;06;02;12
Erica Fields
The warning signs of financial stress in farmers often shows up and changes in communication, behavior, farm operation, and even that farmer's emotional well-being. Family or community members may hear concerning statements like “nothing I do matters” or “God's not listening to me.” These statements actually signal deeper financial distress. You may also notice that that farmer is withdrawing from others has increased irritability, rising alcohol use, or drug use, along with operational signs like missed timing for planning, neglecting fields or even under feeding the livestock.

00;06;02;13 - 00;06;29;18
Erica Fields
If any of these signs persist for two weeks or more, as well as interfere with daily life, they may indicate serious financial and emotional strain and warrant professional attention. Now, what I listed was just a few of the early warning signs. It is important that we recognize these warning signs early, as family and community, because recognizing these signs is essential for sustaining a generational family farm.

00;06;29;23 - 00;06;55;19
Ahlishia Shipley
So this information is really, really valuable. I think that you have just great insight from the field and being out there with the producers. Often the first people to notice these changes aren't clinicians. As you share their neighbors, family members, lenders or agricultural professionals supporting farmers. What role can members of the agricultural community play who may be experiencing financial or emotional stress?

00;06;55;26 - 00;07;21;27
Erica Fields
Hey, if you don't remember anything else I said today, I would love for you to remember to check on your neighbor. Early intervention can prevent crisis's and save the farm. A simple check in, a shared a cup of coffee, or a quiet conversation can help you notice when something is off. Your presence matters. Sometimes your voice of encouragement is what cuts through the noise of financial despair.

00;07;21;27 - 00;07;45;24
Erica Fields
And if that farmer is open to it, you can walk beside them, not with answers, but with compassion. Here are three actions that you could take when you check on your neighbor. Be present. Listen without judgment. Let them know they're not being weak or dramatic. Let them know that financial stress can erode health, relationships and hope. You can also connect them with resources such as agftap.org.

00;07;45;24 - 00;07;53;22
Erica Fields
This website offers FARM Champions that will provide financial and mental health resources to support your farmers.

00;07;53;25 - 00;08;14;28
Ahlishia Shipley
All right. Awesome. I want to dig a little bit more into those resources. You spoke a little bit about the importance of relationships and they are so critically important to the agricultural community. They can't be understated. So beyond those personal connections, what are some other resources designed specifically to support farmers during difficult times?

00;08;15;01 - 00;08;34;29
Erica Fields
In addition to what I mentioned earlier, the agftap.org, FARM Champion Resource, you can also reach out to Farm Bureau's Farm State of Mind Together All. They offer anonymous peer to peer support to farmers, and this is a free resource offered 24/7.

00;08;35;04 - 00;08;55;29
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much. So shifting gears a little bit, one of the things that we try to highlight on this podcast is the impact that trusted guidance and support can have for producers. Without sharing any identifying details, can you share an example of a situation where support or intervention helped a farmer navigate financial stress and then move toward a healthier path?

00;08;56;02 - 00;09;17;02
Erica Fields
So a row crop farmer was going through a divorce, had a barn fire, and was in litigation over a custody battle for his son. The stress compounded, and like many producers, he pushed through. Over time, it took a toll on his health. He was only sleeping a few hours a night and relying on alcohol to cope with the stress.

00;09;17;02 - 00;09;42;17
Erica Fields
His blood pressure was also rising. What changed for him was one moment where his 12 year old son, the son that he fought to gain custody of, looked at his father, said, dad, when I grow up, I don't want to be like you. That became that row crop farmer’s turning point. He reported that he started talking to someone and got connected with the Together All counseling services, and from there he started making different choices.

00;09;42;17 - 00;10;05;00
Erica Fields
Three of his choices really stood out to me. First, to manage the overwhelm of farming, he started a holding weekly farm meetings on Mondays. During these meetings, he would talk to his children about what the farm needed, and he also started assigning farm responsibilities. So this structure brought clarity and reduced the sense that he was carrying everything along.

00;10;05;03 - 00;10;27;11
Erica Fields
Second, he started running. Running around the farm. As he put it, you can't have anxiety and run at the same time. This helped clear his mind and also improved his overall health. And third, in addition to doing the one on one counseling services with Together All, he also joined and connected with peer support groups with Farm Bureau Farm State of Mind.

00;10;27;11 - 00;10;36;24
Erica Fields
Together All. This helped him realize that he did not have to carry his stress alone. Over time, these small changes made a meaningful difference in this row crop farmer’s life.

00;10;36;24 - 00;11;00;02
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much. That is such a powerful story, and it really weaves in a lot of the things that you've spoke about in terms of the peer to peer support, trusted connections, accessing different community resources. So I'm very grateful that you shared that story with us. Really appreciate it. So I'm going to bring this down to the individual level.

00;11;00;02 - 00;11;15;13
Ahlishia Shipley
For producers who are listening that may be carrying some of the stress themselves. Erica, can you tell us a few small but meaningful steps farmers can take to protect their mental health and emotional well-being during financially challenging times?

00;11;15;17 - 00;11;38;03
Erica Fields
Yes, of course, I will offer three small steps. First, remember the Serenity Prayer. God, please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Second, write things down. Get the plan out of your head and write it onto paper. So the plan can actually become manageable.

00;11;38;10 - 00;11;53;10
Erica Fields
And third, stay connected. Farming can be isolating. Plug into a support system. Remember that you are not alone. There are many financial and mental health resources available free of charge, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

00;11;53;12 - 00;12;17;24
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much, Erica, for sharing those resources. You never know who it's going to be helpful to that’s listening to our podcast today. So before we close, we'd like to end each episode with what we call a resilience reflection, which is a brief moment where we ask our guests to step back from the details and reflect on the bigger picture of building a strong farm business and everything that comes with that.

00;12;17;26 - 00;12;27;26
Ahlishia Shipley
Erica. So I'm going to ask you for your resilience reflection, what gives you hope about the future of how we support farmers and ranchers facing financial stress?

00;12;28;01 - 00;12;49;21
Erica Fields
What gives me hope is how farmers always find a way to adapt in the most challenging times. What's even more encouraging is we have a stronger ag support system that offers farmers safe spaces to feel comfortable enough to ask for financial and mental health help.

00;12;49;22 - 00;13;12;11
Ahlishia Shipley
Thank you so much. I've also actually seen the infrastructure for agriculture and rural mental health support grow over the past several years. So, what a hopeful tone to end our conversation on a very tough but significant topic. Thank you again, Erica, for your insight, for your expertise, and for all of the resources and tools and tips that you gave today.

00;13;12;11 - 00;13;36;13
Ahlishia Shipley
And thank you, listeners for joining us today on the FARM Champion podcast. To explore tools and resources that support farm business success, please visit agftap.org and learn how to connect with a FARM Champion in your area. Again, that’s AgFTAP, A-G-F-T-A-P dot org and don't forget to follow and subscribe to the FARM Champion podcast. Thank you!

00;13;36;14 - 00;13;37;13
Ahlishia Shipley
See you next time!