SALT LAKE CITY—While difficult circumstances in agriculture often are temporary, certain decisions can be permanent.

Farming is tough on the best of days, said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall at the recent AFBF annual convention in Salt Lake City.

“And it can really be lonely out there sometimes, especially with the pressures that we face,” he continued.

Florida farmer Marshal Sewel, founder of the Mind Your Melon mental health education program, knows this firsthand.

“My senior year of high school, my dad made the decision that the world no longer needed him,” he said in a video presentation. “I don’t know if he was overwhelmed by the bills, and checks that weren’t coming in because his strawberries were dying off. But it breaks my heart that my dad made a permanent decision out of a temporary issue.”

It takes courage to speak up, or reach out when others are hurting, Duvall continued.

“That’s why Farm Bureau entered in a new frontier years ago when we took on mental health and wellness,” he said. “I’m proud to say the Farm State of Mind platform has become a go-to resource for our rural communities.”

Now, AFBF has established a new relationship with the Farm Family Wellness Alliance to launch access to a peer-to-peer support community Togetherall, free to all American farm families 24/7. Additional counseling services also can be made available at no cost.

“This groundbreaking resource gives farm families access to an online community that understands the challenges that come with agricultural life,” said Matt Nuckols, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation safety coordinator.

Togetherall is a safe, anonymous online community continuously moderated by licensed physicians, said Jessica Cabrera, AFBF managing director of member engagement. She explained that farmers and their family members aged 16 or older can set up a profile with an anonymous username. They can then access a global network of peers who will listen and support them.

“Farming is very challenging and often farmers are living in isolation or facing stigma about reaching out for help,” she noted. “Taking that first step to reach out is often the hardest step to take.”

Togetherall offers a range of tools, including self-assessments and access to additional support services through a partnership with Personal Assistance Services. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, financial health, improving sleep and more. In addition to the global community, Togetherall offers access to agricultural sector sub-groups in which farmers can share their experiences with like-minded people.

Visit Togetherall.com or farmstateofmind.org for rural mental health resources.

Media: Contact Nuckols at 804-938-2043 or Bailey Corwine, AFBF communications, at 202-406-3643.