Emotional strain on Minnesota’s farmers came up repeatedly as top officials talked in Willmar Tuesday afternoon with poultry producers hit by the avian flu epidemic. State Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says the stress he’s seen in producers and farm workers is one of the hardest parts of his job: “Our case managers, people like that, we really trained ’em to ask ’em twice… ask ’em three times.”
Producers who have questions, want mental health resources or just need to talk with someone can call the 24-hour helpline at:
833-600-2670, or text FARMSTRESS (one word) to 898211, or e-mail farmstress@state.mn.us