COLUMBUS, Ohio — Farmers, researchers and mental health advocates may better understand the stressors farmers face thanks to a new survey.

The Ohio Farmer Stress and Wellbeing Report was published this month.

Farmers anonymously answered questions regarding their stress levels.

"The complexities of farming as an occupation are what leads to these mental health challenges that farmers are dealing with. These are things that are out of your control. You cannot control Mother Nature. You cannot control the price of the crops that you're selling. That's set by the marketplace, this kind of faceless, nameless marketplace out there, so very little of your success might be due to what you're able to control," said agriculture expert Andy Vance. "You can only control how hard you work, the strategies you employ, your level of education and knowledge, but you cannot control all of those external factors that come to bear on your farm."

According to the report, the most common stressors were the cost of farm  inputs, including feed, seed, fertilizer or pesticides. About 90.2% of respondents identified this as moderately to very stressful. The cost of farm inputs such as maintenance, fuel and parts was noted by 87% of survey takers too.

Market prices for crops and livestock ranked highly among 86.5% of respondents and the cost of farmland was stressful for 85.4%.

The Ohio Agricultural Mental Health Alliance works in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, The Ohio State University, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, Farm Credit Mid-America, Ag Credit, Ohio Agribusiness Association and Ohio Corn and Wheat. 

If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you’d like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, email charles.ringwalt@charter.com.