Farm/Ranch Stress Management Plan

Individuals and families involved in farming and ranching experience many of the same stresses that others do, such as rising food or energy costs. In addition, they face additional stresses such as machinery breakdowns, unpredictable weather conditions, and the heavy pressures that go along with planting and harvesting.

However, by meeting together and planning ahead, those involved in agriculture and its ups and downs can be proactive and reduce much of the stress that they feel. The final fact sheet in this series outlines nine steps to create a farm/ranch stress management plan that will work effectively for you. Take time to sit down, discuss your stress concerns, and fill out the steps in this plan so you can reduce stress and improve health and relationships.

1. The specific stressful problem we want to work on or solve is (example – our short tempers during harvest time, etc.).

2. The roadblocks and barriers to solving this problem are (example – not taking time to notice symptoms early and to think before yelling or arguing).
 

3. Some early warning symptoms of this stressful problem are (example – family arguments, Dad’s neckaches, Mom withdrawing, etc.).

4. Some stress relief methods that work well for us or we might want to try (example – neck rubs, talking about the pressures, etc.).
 

5. Some possible ways we could solve the problem identified in step #1 are:

• By controlling events (example – postponing daughter’s elective surgery until after the harvest season).

• By controlling our attitudes (example – the worst that would happen if we didn’t get this field’s hay baled by nightfall is that our hay would get wet – and we’ve managed worse problems).

• By controlling responses (example – instead of using our usual “you did X” statements to blame each other, we could use “I statements,” such as “I would like X,” to ask directly for what we want or need).

• By using available resources (example – asking a family member for a neck massage before falling asleep at night).
   

6. We are aware that we know ourselves better than anyone else. So, if we were to write the best prescription available to cure the problem identified in Step #1, we would plan (example – take 15 minutes daily to plan, talk and reconnect during harvest time).
 

7. The personal benefit we’ll get from using our plan is (example – we’ll eliminate the distress of being short-tempered with each other during harvest season).
 

8. The key tasks we’ll have to do for our plan to work include (example – we’ll need to remind one another to think before yelling, to ask for what we want directly instead of blaming, and schedule daily time for discussion).
 

9. A way we’ll make sure we get a reward for our new behavior is (example – when we reduce our number of arguments, we’ll express a verbal “Thank you” daily and take ourselves out for a nice meal once a week).

After you have put your plan into action for a week or two, you might meet together again to evaluate your progress and perhaps revise your plan or set up a new one to solve another farm/ranch stress problem.

• NDSU Extension – Farm/Ranch Stress Resources: www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/ag-topics/farm-safety-health/managing-stress
• North Dakota Dept. of Agriculture – www.nd.gov/ndda
• North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center – www.farmstress.org
• FirstLink Help Line (24-hour helpline, services, referral) – Call 2-1-1 or go to www.myfirstlink.org
• Together Counseling LLC – Offers in-person and telehealth farm-to-farm counseling services; counselors have farming backgrounds. Cost coverage available as needed. Call 701-404-0997 or go to www.togethercounselinggroup.com/farm-to-farm
• North Dakota Regional Human Service Centers – Counseling services available statewide. Go to www.nd.gov/dhs/locations/regionalhsc/
• North Dakota Behavioral Health Supports – To access mental and behavioral health supports in North Dakota, go to www.behavioralhealth.nd.gov
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (available 24 hours/day) – Call 9-8-8 or call/text 1-800-273-8255 (TALK).
• In an emergency, call 911.

Made possible with support from the North Dakota Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center project, with funding from USDA-NIFA.

Reprinted from University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Leaflet 284

Original publication by Robert J. Fetsch, Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University

The NDSU Extension does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to tradenames, trademarks or service names. NDSU encourages you to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Creative Commons license. You may copy, distribute, transmit and adapt this work as long as you give full attribution, don’t use the work for commercial purposes and share your resulting work similarly. For more information, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/agcomm/creative-commons.

County commissions, North Dakota State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. NDSU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable. Direct inquiries to Vice Provost for Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Old Main 201, NDSU Main Campus, 701-231-7708, ndsu.eoaa@ndsu.edu. This publication will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities upon request, 701-231-7881.