Cultivating Care for
Farmer’s Mental Health
Farmers are the lifeblood of our food systems. They work tirelessly to feed us, nourish our families, and nurture the land. But in the shadow of this essential work lies an invisible burden.
This May, for Mental Health Month, join us in raising $50,000 to directly support farmers’ mental health.
Farmer’s Footprint is partnering with farmer-led initiatives Fuller Field School and Real Farmer Care, alongside mental health professionals at Liber8, to deliver a range of direct support and resources—placing them straight into the hands of those stewarding the land, where they’re needed most.
Farmers are under immense stress. From funding freezes and financial instability to chronic illness caused by chemical exposure, volatile markets, and escalating climate disasters—farmers haven’t been able to catch a break, and the pressure is taking a serious toll on their mental health.
The future of our food systems and the health of our communities depends on the well-being of our farmers; because if our farmers are hurting, we are too–whether we realize it or not. By supporting farmers’ mental health, we are also supporting the health of our communities and the care of the Earth.
Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die via suicide than the rest of the population and have the highest suicide rate of any profession. Not from weakness, but from carrying too much, for too long, with too little support.
How Can You Help
To Donate By Checks:
Please make checks payable to Farmer’s Footprint and mail to:
9450 SW Gemini Dr. PMB 51154
Beaverton, OR 97008-7105
Include “Farmer Mental Health” in the memo line to designate your gift.
Farmer’s Footprint is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating regenerative food systems through education, advocacy, and farmer support. The funds we are collecting for this specific campaign will be transferred directly to one of the previously mentioned organizations that we are supporting this month.
Please email us at [email protected] for secure transfer instructions.
The most meaningful support often comes from those who have walked the same path. That’s why our partners are farmers and people who understand the journey firsthand.
Farmers across the country are struggling, and to make healing more attainable, we need to start holding space for conversations about it.
Join us on May 13th for a heartfelt webinar with farmers Gail Fuller, Clara Coleman, and Stuart McWilliam for a conversation on mental health in agriculture—and how farming and healing are deeply connected
Creating Spaces
for Healing
Led by those who’ve carried the burden.
Farmers will be able to choose which program best fits their needs and funds will be allocated toward each organization accordingly.
Apply for Support—For Yourself or a Farmer You Know
Fill out the form to request direct support through our partners: Fuller Field School, Real Farmer Care, or Liber8. You can also complete the form on behalf of a farmer—especially if there’s a language barrier. Some of these programs are open to non-English-speaking farmers.
If you are not a farmer, but would like to share this form with one, please do.
Why Farmers Are Struggling
“We’re in a perfect storm in agriculture. Farmers are bankrupt, they’re depressed. They’re starting to understand the status quo isn’t working and that chemicals are not good.”
– Gail Fuller
- Financial stress. Instability due to fluctuating market prices, trade and tariff policies, unpredictable weather conditions, and climate catastrophes.
- Fear of losing the farm. For many farm families, the land is both their livelihood and their lineage. The fear of failing to pass on a thriving farm to the next generation contributes to severe anxiety and stress.
- Isolation. Lack of community and social support can lead to depression, and mental health care is limited in rural areas.
- Toxic burden of agricultural chemicals. Many farmers are trapped in a toxic cycle of pesticide and herbicide use. Long-term exposure to these chemicals has been linked to life-threatening chronic diseases and neurological disorders.
Healthy Food Systems Need Healthy Farmers
We believe in a future where food systems are resilient, and our family farmers are better supported. While we continue pushing for this to become a reality, we know that change doesn’t happen overnight, and farmers need our support now.
“We can’t have regenerative farms without regenerative farmers.”
– Gail Fuller
The work farmers do for our communities is invaluable, and if their health is suffering, our food systems–and communities–will suffer too. But we have hope because we know healing is possible. Just as the land heals and regenerates, humans can too.
All funds raised will be used to expand access to mental health and self-care for farmers—because those who care for the land deserve care, too.
Immediate Help Is Within Reach For Those In Crisis.
Should you find yourself needing to talk, to be heard, or to find a way through—there are people ready to listen and help.
About
Farmer’s
Footprint
Farmer’s Footprint is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating regenerative food systems through storytelling, advocacy, and farmer support.
Co-founded by Dr. Zach Bush, the organization is on a mission to restore the health of our soil, nourish biodiversity, and support farmers in breaking free from the cycles of chemical-dependent farming.
Through storytelling, education, and grassroots action, Farmer’s Footprint is inspiring a shift toward a future where agriculture works in harmony with nature. This is an invitation to reconnect with our food systems and take part in a movement that nurtures both people and planet.