A coalition of agriculture groups Monday urged Congress to fully fund efforts to improve mental health in rural America.
The groups, including the National Farmers Union, asked Congress to fully fund the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network in fiscal year 2020.
The program provides grants for extension services, state departments of agriculture, nonprofit organizations and other entities to provide stress assistance programs to farmers, farmworkers and others.
The groups noted the current prolonged farm economy downturn is causing even greater stress for farmers and ranchers, as net farm income in 2018 was nearly 50 percent less than it was in 2013.
Congress provided $2 million in the fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for a pilot of the program.
A letter from the coalition sent to the Senate and House agriculture appropriations subcommittees urged lawmakers to fully fund the program at $10 million, calling the effort “critically important” to meeting the mental health needs of farmers.