b'S T R A T E G Y A featured segment designed to help you in the realm of retail seed sales. Hows Your Mental Health?While it might be uncomfortable question to ask, checking in can change a life.Melissa ShipmanFROM TECHNICIANSWe read that farmers die and sales reps to farmersby suicide, and experience in the field, everyones mentaldepression and anxiety more health matters. The pandemicthan other occupations, but added isolation to the alreadythe biggest statistic for me stressful agribusiness worldwas in those first couple of and making connections withpresentations I was giving. I customers and coworkers iswould say, Raise your hand if more important than ever.you know a farm family who Shawn Brook, president oflost a farmer to suicide, and Seed World Group, believesalmost every hand was up companies must find a way toalmost every time, she says. bridge the gap. Moreover, according to So many of our tools toa December 2020 Farm check in with people haveBureau poll, the percentage been taken away right now.of farmers and farmworkers But that connection still needswho say social isolation has to happen, Brook says. Weimpacted their mental health just want to know that werehas increased 22% since April not the only one. 2019. If ever there was a timeAdrienne DeSutter serves as an agriculture mental health specialist Data from the U.S. Centerto focus on building with the Farm State of Mind.for Disease Control show theconnections and sharing sup-suicide rate among farmers toport, its now.be 1.5 times higher than the national average, with agri- Share Storiescultural workers falling in theExperts agree that making a top five industry groups forpersonal connection is one suicide rates.of the more effective ways to In Canada, the 2016make an impact on someone National Survey of Farmerwho is struggling.Mental Health found that 58%Our stories as farmers, as of farmers met the qualifica- agriculturalists, as humans, tions for anxiety and 35% forthose messages and thatdepression. connection are the most Adrienne DeSutter, agpowerful resources, DeSutter mental health specialist withsays. Farm State of Mind, knowsAfter losing his wife to the numbers, but understandssuicide, Brooks own story is they feel more real whenpowerful, and he is grateful to attached to people in thehave had the chance to share room, maybe even sitting nexthis experience. He specifically to you on the couch. remembers one older farmerShawn Brook is president of Seed World Group.130/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021'