Wright County Extension engaged in Farm & Ranch Wellness Initiative

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Wright County has been awarded a Farm and Ranch Wellness Grant.  This is a collaborative project between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and ISU Extension and Outreach; funding is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Institution of Food and Agriculture.  The purpose of the grant is to greatly strengthen outreach to those individuals engaged in farming and their advocates and provide key state, regional, and national stress assistance programs and resources.

Missy Loux, Program Coordinator for Wright County, in collaboration with local neighboring extension county offices, will be reaching out to professionals that interact with farmers and farm families in Wright, Hancock, Kossuth, Winnebago, Webster, Hamilton, Humboldt, and Pocahontas. Farm stress resources will be delivered to equip these businesses with tools to help farmers and to get them distributed throughout these communities.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with the agricultural industry having one of the highest rates.  The Wright County Extension Office is dedicated to empowering community members to help take care of each other by recognizing the signs of stress and mental health issues and providing resources to get help.

If you would like information to empower yourself or your organization to help in this effort, please contact Missy at louxm@iastate.edu or 515-532-3453.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or is in need of immediate support, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, Call Your Life Iowa at 855-581-8111 or text 855-895-8398, call 911, or go to your local emergency room.  For non-emergency support, contact the Iowa Concern Hotline at 800-477-1985.