Conferences
Overcoming Obstacles in Farming with Support Groups
Frances Gibson and Helen Brown
Summary
Support Groups has been proven to help people overcome interruptions in life. Farmers across the United States and some foreign countries have the highest suicide rate. Support Groups are becoming a wave for the future in farming in that it will help farm producers acknowledge they need help before deciding this is the end.
This presentation will show how United Farmers USA has incorporated support groups as a part of outreach to educate the new and beginning socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, youth and veteran on using small groups in the rural communities in the 5th and 6th districts in South Carolina to help them face life interruptions without giving up. Farming is a high stressed and dangerous occupation that has changed from the least likely occupation to do self-harm to becoming double the national average and where it used to be more males, suicide among female farmers has risen.
This presentation will also illustrate the family structure, changes that take place over time, choices farmers make that warrant the need for support group and the benefits farmers receive from attending support groups such as creating a functioning healthy farm and family life. Support groups have also proven to be very beneficial to those producers who grow vegetables or specialty crops in large quantities to improve the quality of life and prepare the next generation.
Details
| Conference | 2014 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference |
| Presentation Type | 30-Minute Concurrent |