The 2019 growing season was demanding. A late spring, heavy rains and early winter made for trying times in the agriculture community. The anxiety from this past year is heavy and with that often comes depression.
 
The NDFB Promotion and Education Committee wanted to get the message out to farmers and ranchers that they are not alone. The committee put together Conversations on Coping, a series of five podcasts featuring farmers and ranchers sharing their struggles and insights on several topics, often on the minds of ag producers.
 
The podcasts will be released on Mondays. The first episode was released on December 16, 2019. The topics covered are:
 
– The future of ag
– How depression affects you and your family
– Self-care during stressful times
– When the bills pile up
– Attitude is everything
 
“This year has been tough on farmers and ranchers and the P&E Committee had a desire to help those feeling alone,” said Joey Bailey, NDFB’s Director of Organizational Development. “If we can help one person realize they are not alone, then we can say we made a difference.”
 
Conversations on Coping can be heard by going to https://ndfb.org/edusafe/conversations.
 
“We all need help some days. We just don’t want to ask for it,” said Carie Moore, a guest on Conversations on Coping. “And if you can volunteer yourself, it makes your day plus it makes theirs.”