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Missouri rural caucus discusses farmer suicides

The newly-created Missouri House Rural Economic Development Caucus will be discussing several issues, including suicide rates among farmers.

Neosho, Missouri, State Representative Bill Reiboldt, a caucus member, says the farmer suicide issue is personal for him.

“The reason my dad bought the farm that I own today; he bought it in the early 40s, late 30s,” said Reiboldt.  “The gentleman there committed suicide, hung himself, and so the farm came up for sale.”

Reiboldt, a dairy, beef and crop producer for more than 40 years in Newton County, Missouri, says there’s a lot of stress on the farm.

“Whether we’ll make a crop, whether we have a drought, or whether we have a flood,” said Reiboldt, in his office at the Missouri State Capitol.  “I’ve confronted both the flood and the drought on my farm, and cattle, and production, and banks, and notes.”

“Newsweek” reported a Centers for Disease Control study indicating farmers have a suicide rate of slightly more than 90 per 100-thousand people, the highest of any occupational group.

Reiboldt says it’s important to raise awareness of the issue.

Missourinet News Director Brian Hauswirth contributed to this article