Extreme weather, financial hurdles add to farmer mental health challenges
The drought sweeping through the Midwest has forced many farmers to make tough operational decisions against their wishes. For Macey Hurst, a cattle farmer outside of Jefferson City, that meant cutting a third of her herd because of dry pastures and a lack of hay. These difficult decisions that often are out of farmers’ control can lead to mental health concerns.On the day Hurst brought her cattle to the market, she ended up taking the afternoon off of work to prioritize her mental health. “We h...