WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating May 29, 2026, as Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day.
“Farmers, ranchers, and ag workers have some of the toughest jobs in the country,” Fischer said. “Right now, a struggling farm economy is making life even harder – and it weighs heavily on the minds of those who feed and fuel our nation. This resolution designates May 29th as Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day and sheds light on the resources available for those in need. I thank my colleagues for joining this bipartisan, bicameral effort as we keep working to ease the strain in farm country.”
“Colorado farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers face unprecedented challenges from severe drought to increased costs that can take a toll on their mental health,” Bennet said. “I’ve consistently worked to expand access to affordable, reliable mental health care for all Coloradans and am grateful to stand with Senator Fischer and my Senate colleagues to designate May 29th as Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day. Providing visibility and awareness to address these challenges is essential for progress.”
The resolution is cosponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
U.S. Representatives Mike Bost (IL-12) and Kim Schrier (WA-08) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.
“Our farmers are proud, salt of the Earth people, but they face tremendous pressures in a tough industry,” Bost said. “The stress that comes with the profession is real, with a suicide rate 3.5 times higher than the general population. Volatile markets, rising input costs, and unpredictable weather don’t just threaten a family farm’s bottom line, they take a toll on mental health, too. This legislation is a step towards making sure they know that if they’re struggling, they don’t have to struggle alone.”
“Farmers in Washington state and across the country face a variety of challenges, from extreme weather and skyrocketing costs to changing markets at home and abroad,” Schrier said. “Our agricultural industry is under stress, which has taken a toll on farmers’ mental health. I am proud to introduce this resolution to raise awareness of this rural mental health crisis and commit to supporting our producers in every way we can as they feed our country, uplift our economies, and bolster rural America.”
This legislation is supported by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Farmers Union, the Nebraska Wheat Board, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, the National Rural Health Association, the American Soybean Association, the Nebraska Agri-Business Association, the Nebraska Rural Health Association, the Nebraska Soybean Association, the National Pork Producers, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Cattlemen, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, the Agricultural Retailers Association, the Nebraska Cooperative Council, the Nebraska Farmers Union, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, and the Farm Credit Services of America. Click here to read their statements of support.
Click here for national resources available for those in need.
Click here for Nebraska resources available for those in need.
Click here to view text of the resolution.
