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Spotlight on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
The Southern region of the Farm and Ranch Assistance Network (FRSAN) includes 13 southern states as well as the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico has a population of 3.22 million people with 7,602 farms on the island, according to the 2022 Puerto Rico Census of Agriculture, which is the…
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Farmer Advisory Groups
The Southern Ag Exchange Network relies on a variety of professionals and researchers across the region who bring their expertise in sociology, mental health, and other disciplines to the task of addressing farm and ranch stress. But if those experts are the only ones at the table, a crucial voice is missing from the conversation:…
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Trainings for Recognizing, Addressing, and Reducing Farm Stress
In the effort to address stressors and reduce stress among farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers, trainings are an important piece of the puzzle- from making use of existing trainings by service providers who work with farmers to creating trainings to be used directly with farm families. When it comes to farm stress, resources and trainings…
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Evaluation: Measuring What We Do
Because SAgE and the other three Farm and Ranch Stress Network regions are funded by the USDA, regular reporting is required to account for how those funds are used and the effectiveness and impact of the funded projects. For the southern region, that evaluation is conducted by Dr. Erin King, whose qualifications include a PhD…
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Southern Ag Exchange—en Español
Beginning early in 2023, all published SAgE materials have been published simultaneously in Spanish-the current SAgE brochure, research briefs, and the infographics that accompany the briefs. Last fall, the effort began to reproduce the entire website in Spanish. Starting in January of this year, the SAgE webinars have included Spanish interpretation, and Spanish interpretation is…
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SAgE Resources and Trainings
As part of the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, the Southern Ag Exchange Network collects and disseminates resources for the purpose of alleviating farm stress. But that process is far more than simply doing a Google search and putting the results on the website, explains Emily Ellis, SAgE’s Resources and Trainings Director. Currently the…
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Applied Research: Exploring the Best Ways to Alleviate Farm Stress
In order for SAgE-and the other three Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network regions-to effectively address farm stress, research is essential to discover the best methods to tackle it. Dr. Andy Smolski, SAgE’s Director of Applied Research, explains why applied research in particular is the type of research that’s needed to find solutions that can…
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SAgE’s Farm Stress Hotline Is Open, 24/7
The Southern Ag Exchange Network’s farm stress line is fully operational thanks to the hard work of SAgE staff and partners. The USDA funds SAgE through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), and one of the USDA’s requirements for regional FRSAN efforts is the provision of a farm stress hotline. There are three…
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Farm and Ranch Mental Health: Stressors, Barriers, and Strategies
Behind the Research: Q & A with Dr. Andy Smolski, lead author SAgE: Can you briefly talk about the purpose of this research brief? AS: Our main goal was to be able to provide a summary of our current understanding of farm and ranch stress, in terms of three components. The first one was on…
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Introducing SAgE and Director Tesha Humphrey
The Southern Ag Exchange Network – or SAgE – is the southern region of the USDA’s Farm and Ranch Assistance Network (FRSAN), whose goal is to provide “stress assistance programs to individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations on a regional basis.” The southern region includes 13 states and two territories,…
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Funding Acknowledgements: USDA-NIFA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Award # 2020-70028-32730