Who to call in a farm crisis? Plenty of resources available

Who to call in a farm crisis? Plenty of resources available

By PHYLLIS COULTER
FarmWeek

The stress of an illness, injury or tight farm finances is daunting, but there are resources to help.

The resources for farmers in crisis webinar offered by the University of Illinois Agricultural Safety and Health Program and farmdoc on Oct. 15 highlighted a few such services.

Farm Rescue

Based on the principle of farmers helping farmers, Bill Gross, a UPS pilot who grew up in rural North Dakota, created Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization.

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Today, 600 volunteers in 49 states come to help farmers with equipment or labor in nine Corn Belt states, including Illinois, when a crisis arises, said Terry Johnston, farm rescue development officer.

The injury, illness or death of a farmer, a sick child, a family member getting cancer treatment or a natural disaster are reasons to call for help, he said.

To nominate someone, to get help or to inquire about volunteering, visit the website farmrescue.org.

AgrAbility

AgrAbility helps enhance the quality of life for farmers and ranchers with injuries or disabilities, said Haley Jones, Illinois AgrAbility program coordinator with the Illinois Extension. The program helps farmers safely do their work and reduces barriers to continuing with their livelihood.

Farmers or seasonal workers suffering from circumstances as varied as arthritis, a spinal cord injury, a chronic condition, hearing loss, respiratory impairment or an amputation, can qualify for free services.

On request, AgrAbilty staff conducts a free on-the-farm assessment and recommends equipment or assistive devices or provides education to help.

The National AgrAbility Toolbox, a public website, has information on 1,000 tools and devices at agrability.org/toolbox.

Helplines and hotlines

Josie Rudolphi, a University of Illinois occupational and environmental health professor, said resources are available to farmers in a crisis by email, texting or telephone.

The suicide and crisis lifeline at 988 is a hotline. “It is a huge relief that it is a three-digit number now,” she said of the easier-to-remember number. People can text, call or chat 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Concern Line, a helpline started by Iowa University Extension during a farm crisis, offers legal, financial and disaster resources at 800-447-1985.

The Farm Aid Farmer Hotline has specific hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The caller is assigned a specific case worker to help them over time. The contact number is 800-327-6243.

The Illinois Mental Health Voucher Program for Ag Producers allows ag producers and their families to get free help from a certified mental health professional through the Illinois Extension program. Email Kacie Hulshof for information at khulshof@illinois.edu.

This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.