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3. 2026 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Empowering Producers to Identify and Respond to Financial Stress

Erica Barnes Fields

Summary

Financial stress is one of the most persistent risks facing U.S. farmers and ranchers, particularly during periods of tight margins, high input costs, and market volatility. This concurrent session highlights an innovative, interdisciplinary risk management education approach that integrates financial education with behavioral health awareness to support earlier identification and intervention.
The session draws on Extension-based programming developed through the Identifying Financial Stress in Farmers and Ranchers (FSA96) initiative. Rather than focusing solely on balance sheets and cash flow, this approach equips agricultural professionals, family members, lenders, and community stakeholders with practical tools to recognize verbal, behavioral, operational, and emotional warning signs of financial distress before they escalate into crisis.
Participants will learn how financial stress manifests in day-to-day farm decision-making, communication patterns, and operational management, and how these indicators intersect with risk management behaviors such as delayed planning, avoidance of lenders, or disengagement from educational resources. The session will also highlight lessons learned from producer feedback, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and program delivery in rural communities where stigma and isolation remain barriers to help-seeking.
Attendees will leave with transferable strategies for incorporating financial stress awareness into existing risk management education, strengthening referral pathways, and fostering community-level resilience. The session emphasizes early intervention as a practical risk mitigation strategy that protects farm viability, family well-being, and long-term agricultural sustainability.

Details

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