‘Pennsylvania AgForum’ focused on farm stress and actionable strategies

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At a recent event focused on farm stress, participants heard the story of a dairy farmer, Duane Martin, who made the painful decision to sell his cows, ending his family’s legacy as dairy farmers after 12 generations. Both his story of losing the farm and his ensuing mental health struggles illustrate the growing challenges farmers face — extreme weather, volatile markets, limited health care and child care access, low incomes, and the physical toll of farm work.

Held in State College, the “Pennsylvania AgForum: Taking Action Together for Our Agricultural Community” brought together stakeholders in agriculture, health care, finance, mental health, child care and government. Hosted by Penn State Extension, the event was aimed at building partnerships across sectors to address the financial and mental health challenges in the farming community.

“Bringing people together from different sectors helps increase our reach,” said Ginger Fenton, dairy extension educator and one of the event’s organizers. “It was a great opportunity for networking with the idea of building partnerships that will lead to concrete outputs.”

Participants used a methodology called “Strategic Doing” to set goals and develop short-term projects — achievable in three months or less — designed to support farmers and their families. Through case studies and group discussions, they identified challenges and developed concrete steps and actionable plans.

Florence Becot, the lead of Penn State’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor, shared the farmer’s story to underscore the urgency of these issues. Becot, who has a doctorate in environment and natural resources with a specialization in rural sociology from The Ohio State University, explained that Martin had emailed his seven-page story, “Sale Day,” to her out of the blue with permission to use it for any research or lecture that she gives, including the AgForum event.

Becot noted that while farmers may be willing to seek help, accessing it is another matter, especially in rural areas where resources are sparse.

Fenton added that farmers also struggle with time.

“That’s especially true now, as we’re getting into planting season,” she said. “The idea of using a sunny day for an appointment instead of being in the field is a tough call.”

Jacqueline Amor-Zitzelberger, extension educator in food, families and communities, helped coordinate the forum.

“There are many family-owned farms in Pennsylvania that really need help,” Amor-Zitzelberger said. “They have to be problem-solvers and are constantly dealing with issues.”

Attendees chose focus areas and drafted plans, assigning “Chief Doing Officers” to follow up on progress.

“The discussions were rich and included many different perspectives,” Amor-Zitzelberger said.

Ideas included launching county coffee groups to discuss farm transition planning, creating flyers about mental well-being, recording public service announcements with real farmers dealing with real issues, publishing articles on affordable insurance, and crafting an elevator pitch to share financial resources.

“It was great to see the excitement,” Fenton said. “They didn’t break right away for lunch because they were still chatting, and even after the forum, many people stayed in the room to keep the conversations going.”

The event featured several prominent speakers. Troy Ott, dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, emphasized Extension’s partnership with federal, state and local governments, calling it a “powerful force for good.”

U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, acknowledged the challenges facing the farming industry and discussed his efforts to support the federal Farm Bill, which he said would protect farmers from market volatility.

Mark Critz, western regional director for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, noted agriculture’s central role in the state’s economic development. With rising temperatures and increased precipitation across Pennsylvania, he stressed the need for investment in agricultural innovation. The Pennsylvania Farm Bill, now in its seventh year, seeks $13.8 million to support workforce development, urban agriculture, meat processing expansion, farms in transition and farm-to-school programs.

Organizers said the goals of the event were to raise awareness of farm stress, foster connections, connect farmers with resources and drive meaningful action. The team is exploring options for a future regional AgForum, potentially in southeastern Pennsylvania, to continue engaging stakeholders.

“We are hopeful that we can replicate this and continue these types of efforts,” Fenton said.

The event was supported by a Cultivemos/Northeast Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network grant, coordinated by the National Young Farmers Coalition. The University of Delaware Extension assisted in planning and stakeholder engagement.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture also support this program through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.