News

Farmer support groups provide an outlet for increasing stressors

A Navy veteran farmer and mental health advocate has created support groups for farmers to help them air their troubles. 

Wisconsin crop farmer Jeff Ditzenberger knows from personal experience the dark side of mental health challenges and after a failed suicide attempt has found solace helping others find themselves.

“Being strong isn’t about being tough.  Being strong is about being willing and able to admit that you’ve got some stuff going on, you want somebody to help and you want to feel better at the end of the day.”

Speaking about mental health awareness eventually led him to form the nonprofit TUGS, or Talking, understanding, growing and supporting, which works as a support group for farmers and others providing a safe place to talk about issues.

“Farm wives are going through the same thing that farm husbands are, the kids are going through it, you don’t really have that separation where you can have somebody that’s going to be unbiased.”

Ditzenberger says their group is also helping farmers struggling after selling the farm and reentering the workforce.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel.  Just because you got out of farming doesn’t mean that you’re a failure.  The weather kind of failed you, prices have had some struggles and now farmers are finding a silver lining.”

He’d like to see similar support groups in rural communities across the country break stigmas around mental health and suicide awareness.

The national suicide hotline is 1-800-273-2855 or you can text “hopeline” to 741741.