Death on the Farm: How I Learned that Social Work (and Everyone) Should Care about Farmer Suicide

Authors

Keywords:

rural, farmer stress, agriculture, cooperative extension

Abstract

Farmers and farm families are not often seen as a vulnerable population in need of social work services. This narrative reflection describes how I, a child of the suburbs, came to be involved in research examining stress and suicide rates in farmers. Through a chance conversation with a colleague, I began to learn about the high rates of suicide and multiple stressors among farmers. Together with collaborators from Cooperative Extension, we have begun working to develop suicide prevention and intervention initiatives. Through this process I learned about the rich potential for collaboration with scholars and service providers in the agricultural sector and have grown in commitment to this work. Farmers provide the food, fiber, and fuel we all need; their needs and challenges are of relevance to all of us. I believe social work should turn its attention to this vulnerable population in curriculum, direct practice, advocacy, and research.

Author Biography

Anna Scheyett, University of Georgia

Anna Scheyett, PhD, LSCW (she/her) is Professor, School of Social Work and Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication, University of Georgia, Athens, GA (amscheye@uga.edu).

Downloads

Published

2024-05-10

How to Cite

Scheyett, A. (2024). Death on the Farm: How I Learned that Social Work (and Everyone) Should Care about Farmer Suicide. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 30(2), 40–44. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2058

Issue

Section

Table of Contents