{"id":70068,"date":"2025-12-02T16:28:29","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T21:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=70068"},"modified":"2025-12-03T14:31:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:31:49","slug":"suicides-plague-michigan-farms-michigan-just-ended-money-to-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/suicides-plague-michigan-farms-michigan-just-ended-money-to-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Suicides plague Michigan farms. Michigan just ended money to help"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in Michigan<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Stress over weather and markets to sell their products has endangered family farms<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>State funding for farmer mental health counseling wasn\u2019t renewed in this year\u2019s budget<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>BENZONIA \u2014 Randy Rice is the fourth generation of his family to farm the same rolling acres in Benzie County. Originally purchased for $600 and a cow, the property was paid off before he was born. The Angus beef cattle munching on their morning hay are fetching good prices, enough to pay the bills this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of his friends aren\u2019t so lucky, the 57-year-old said. At the auction house, farmers complain in general about grain prices and equipment breakdowns, but in small, private conversations they admit to buckling under the overwhelming stress of modern-day farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"642\" data-attachment-id=\"70085\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/randy-rice-in-front-of-farm-building\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1604&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1604\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;6.3&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763049338&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Randy Rice in front of farm building\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Randy Rice raises cattle in Benzie County in northern Michigan just like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C642&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building.jpg?resize=1024%2C642&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Farmer stands in front of barn and other buildings\" class=\"wp-image-70085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C642&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C481&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C962&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1283&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C752&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1253&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C489&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C251&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-in-front-of-farm-building-1024x642.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Randy Rice raises cattle in Benzie County in northern Michigan just like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in Michigan \u2014 more than five times the overall state rate. That figure is likely an undercount, as some questionable deaths are tallied as accidental falls from silos and hunting mishaps, experts say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just ask Rice\u2019s son, Remington, who helps on the farm when it\u2019s time to castrate the steers but spends his days running a farmer suicide prevention program for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/outreach\/\">Michigan State University Extension<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople think of farms as sunshine and eating apples plucked right off the trees \u2014 what do they have to be depressed about?\u201d the younger Rice said.&nbsp; \u201cIf you look at my blood cells, you won&#8217;t see a picture of my family farm, but in my mind, that is who I am, is this land.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And when that is threatened, Remington Rice said, it can be too much for farmers to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who grow our food are under tremendous economic stress, as well as guilt over potentially losing farms that have been in their families for generations, say counselors who have worked with dozens of farmers across Michigan through MSU\u2019s farmer suicide prevention program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\u201cMy main source of discomfort is stress. I don\u2019t get a day off \u2014 every day is harvest, clean, disinfect.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2014&nbsp;Chris Huntoon, who grows and sells microgreens<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>That lifeline was cut off this fall, as the program recently lost its funding in the most recent state budget and has been shut down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had farmers tell me that our counseling program saved their farm and likely saved their life,\u201d Remington Rice told Bridge Michigan. \u201cHow do we tell farmers that we can\u2019t support counseling anymore?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018Pressure to continue the family legacy\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Farmer suicides have been a national crisis since <a href=\"https:\/\/now.uiowa.edu\/news\/2017\/06\/long-after-80s-farm-crisis-farm-workers-still-take-own-lives-high-rate\">at least the 1980s<\/a>, with agricultural workers having<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fb.org\/initiative\/farm-state-of-mind\"> one of the highest rates of suicide<\/a> among all occupations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Michigan, 11 people working in farming, forestry and fishing died by suicide in 2023, the most recent year for which statewide data is available. Those involved in the collection of the data told Bridge that most deaths in that category each year are farm workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a suicide rate of 84.5 per 100,000 workers, compared to an overall Michigan rate of 14.9. Farmer suicide rate was second in 2023 only to material moving workers, at 89 deaths per 100,000 workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The high risk of suicide is not a surprise to Misty Opel, health and farm stress educator for Michigan State University Extension. Opel said farmers face a \u201cperfect storm of stress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"688\" data-attachment-id=\"70084\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/generic-farm-02\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1719&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1719\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763060795&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;55&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Generic farm 02\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Families own 95% of Michigan\u2019s farms, but only 46% of those had a net positive income from farming in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C688&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02.jpg?resize=1024%2C688&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Corn field with farms in the background\" class=\"wp-image-70084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C688&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C516&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1031&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1375&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C806&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1343&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C524&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C269&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-02-1024x688.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Families own 95% of Michigan\u2019s farms, but only 46% of those had a net positive income from farming in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan farms employ 98,000 workers, according to state data, and have a direct economic impact of over<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/resources\/interim-update-on-the-economic-impact-of-michigan-s-agri-food-system\"> $74 billion<\/a> annually. Yet individual farmers are at the mercy of commodity markets and weather for which they have no control. An unusually wet spring or a dry summer can devastate a crop. And even if the weather is perfect, the sale price at harvest could be lower than the money invested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of financial stress being manifested in depression and anxiety,\u201d Opel said. \u201cI get a lot of calls saying, \u2018I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m going to be able to keep the family farm.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\u201cPeople think of farms as sunshine and eating apples plucked right off the trees \u2014 what do they have to be depressed about?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2014 Remington Rice, MSU Extension farmer suicide prevention program<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The number of farms in Michigan has declined <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nass.usda.gov\/Publications\/AgCensus\/2017\/Online_Resources\/County_Profiles\/Michigan\/cp99026.pdf\">7% since 2017<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nass.usda.gov\/Statistics_by_State\/Michigan\/Publications\/Current_News_Release\/2025\/nr2511mi.pdf\">44,000<\/a>, according to federal statistics, which don\u2019t give a reason for the decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/suicide-rate-highest-in-northern-michigan-services-are-scarce-guns-plentiful\/\"><strong>Suicide rate highest in northern Michigan: services are scarce, guns plentiful<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-farmer-suicide-help-may-be-endangered-by-state-funding-snub\/\"><strong>Michigan farmer suicide help may be endangered by state funding snub<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/business-watch\/migrant-farm-work-has-boomed-in-michigan-the-feds-just-cut-workers-pay\/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOSmGFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETEyeUh6c0FSMFpyT1k2QTFOc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnUYEocBL4_fU5B1ul-qogEo2v81XbrLIjlnYYu_0oTfd5ssAWcTsSNln3GR_aem_930BsVi5j0RnRssP5HJqBg\"><strong>Migrant farm work has boomed in Michigan. The feds just cut workers\u2019 pay<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Families own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michfb.com\/agriculture\/michigan-agriculture-facts\">95% of Michigan\u2019s farms<\/a>, but only 46% of those had a net positive income from farming in 2023, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/topics\/farm-economy\/farm-household-well-being\/farm-household-income-estimates\">according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On many, the history of that land weighs heavily on families, says Zane Schwaiger, a therapist in Suttons Bay who worked with MSU Extension to offer free counseling to farm families. \u201cThere\u2019s often a tremendous pressure to continue the family legacy,\u201d she said. \u201cSo many farms are passed down, and they\u2019ve worked on the farms since adolescence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018The last generation.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s true of Randy Rice, who on a recent morning placed his hand on the stone foundation of a weathered gray barn. \u201cMy great-grandfather put in that mortar,\u201d he said. \u201cI can still touch things that he did. You know, there\u2019s a lot of pride in that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:49.21003%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"70083\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/randy-rice-01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1633&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1633\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763047917&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Randy Rice 01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Randy Rice is a fourth generation farmer. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C191&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C653&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"70083\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/randy-rice-01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1633&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1633\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763047917&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Randy Rice 01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Randy Rice is a fourth generation farmer. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C191&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C653&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 1 of 2 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w\" alt=\"Close up of man wearing hat and glasses\" data-height=\"1633\" data-id=\"70083\" data-link=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/randy-rice-01\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg\" data-width=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Randy-Rice-01-1024x653.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:50.78997%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"70082\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/detail-of-barn-foundation\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1582&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1582\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763047841&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;55&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Detail of barn foundation\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt; Randy Rice\u2019s great-grandfather built the foundation of the barn still in use on the centennial farm in Benzie County. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C185&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"70082\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/detail-of-barn-foundation\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1582&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1582\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763047841&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;55&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Detail of barn foundation\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt; Randy Rice\u2019s great-grandfather built the foundation of the barn still in use on the centennial farm in Benzie County. &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C185&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 2 of 2 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=2000&#038;ssl=1 2000w\" alt=\"Stone and concrete foundation\" data-height=\"1582\" data-id=\"70082\" data-link=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/detail-of-barn-foundation\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg\" data-width=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Detail-of-barn-foundation-1024x633.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>LEFT: Randy Rice is a fourth generation farmer. RIGHT: Randy Rice\u2019s great-grandfather built the foundation of the barn still in use on the centennial farm in Benzie County. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with pride comes pressure, says Brandon Gingrich, a dairy and crop farmer in Osceola County. Gingrich is the fourth generation in his family to work the same land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Gingrich spoke to Bridge in September, he had just finished harvesting his sorghum crop and was turning his attention to 900 acres of corn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He doesn\u2019t mind the long hours, but the stress can be overwhelming. The 36-year-old recalled a time when a huge investment in dairy robotics had failed and \u201cwe were getting no milk from the cows.\u201d One day while chopping corn to make feed for his cattle, \u201cI lost control of my body and couldn\u2019t even see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He got help through the MSU Extension free counseling program, but those coping techniques can only do so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf I quit, that means the end of the generational farm,\u201d Gingrich said. \u201cI get the feeling I\u2019m the last generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not like quitting a job at the automotive component plant in nearby Evart. Selling the farm would mean \u201cyou\u2019re letting your grandparents down, your parents down\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schwaiger, the Suttons Bay therapist, knows of a farmer in northeast Michigan who died by suicide after a disastrous cherry crop endangered the family homestead. Another in Cheboygan County considered taking his own life when part of his cattle herd had to be put down because of a disease outbreak, but received help from MSU\u2019s free farmer mental health program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFarmers can be very self-sufficient, because they are so used to making things work themselves,\u201d Schwaiger said. \u201cThe work is very isolating (and) they often don\u2019t seek out help. Stress can get to the point that they feel like they don\u2019t have another option.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018Antidote to suicide is connection\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Northern Michigan Small Farmers Conference in Glen Arbor in August featured an eclectic mix of sessions, from creating flower essences for emotional healing to right-to-farm law to fish waste fertilizer. Books available for purchase had titles ranging from \u201cGardening with Chickens\u201d to \u201cPassport to Kingdom Fungi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a buffet lunch, about 30 farmers gathered to hear about communication and stress management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listening to the presentation was Bernie Ware, a retired vegetable and fruit farmer from Bear Lake in Manistee County. For years, he\u2019d manage fields of strawberries by day and drink by night. He had multiple mishaps on the farm that he attributes to stress of \u201cbrutal\u201d finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, he is sober and handles stress through mindfulness, meditation and walking and mentors young farmers dealing with the same stress he felt when he was working full-time on his family farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople who are four, five generations on their family farm, they\u2019re hard workers and they\u2019re probably good managers,\u201d Ware said. \u201cBut they\u2019re in the wrong place at the wrong time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the front of the room, Remington Rice told the group that the \u201cantidote to suicide is connection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s something we\u2019re severely lacking these days,\u201d Rice said. \u201cMaking that time to reach out to people may be inconvenient, especially during harvest, but it\u2019s incredibly worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"70081\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/remington-rice-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?fit=2016%2C1512&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2016,1512\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"remington rice 2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Remington Rice is a Michigan State University Extension community behavioral health educator. (Ron French\/Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?fit=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Man stands in front of field of cows\" class=\"wp-image-70081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=2000%2C1500&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?resize=780%2C585&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2.jpg?w=2016&amp;ssl=1 2016w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/remington-rice-2-1024x768.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Remington Rice is a Michigan State University Extension community behavioral health educator. (Ron French\/Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Rice encouraged exercise separate from work, such as hunting or fishing, and for farmers to separate work life from home life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA dental hygienist sees patients all day, works 9-5 and comes home,\u201d Rice said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re a farmer, your patients are right outside the window.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rice told the farmers at the August meeting that they could get free counseling through MSU Extension\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/resources\/legacy-of-the-land\"> Legacy of the Land program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Six weeks later, the program was shut down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018I don\u2019t get a day off\u2019&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The state did not renew funds for the farmer suicide prevention program in the 2025-26 budget approved in October. The program paid for 550 therapy visits and reached over 10,000 people across Michigan through educational presentations and workshops since 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past budget year, the program received $112,000 from the state to fight the crisis, along with $90,000 from a federal grant. The federal grant also has at least temporarily lapsed, leaving the service with no funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since Sept. 1, farmers must pay for counseling sessions out of their own pocket, with sessions typically costing $150 an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some have insurance that picks up some of that cost, said Schwaiger, the Suttons Bay therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, she has continued to meet with farm families who were already being treated before the shutdown for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rice still refers farmers in distress to therapists, but warns them they now will have to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the program shutdown, \u201cthey (didn\u2019t) hesitate to call or come, because the money isn\u2019t a barrier,\u201d Schwaiger said. \u201cI would say probably 90% of the families would not be able to afford to pay for therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of them is Chris Huntoon, who grows microgreens in his home in Grand Rapids for sale at farm markets. Huntoon had free counseling for about two years before stopping recently when he was told he would have to cover the cost himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He called the counseling \u201clife-changing,\u201d and wishes he could continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy main source of discomfort is stress,\u201d Huntoon said. \u201cI don\u2019t get a day off \u2014 every day is harvest, clean, disinfect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"70080\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/norman-microgreens-farmer-7\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Kristen Norman&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Chris Huntoon is seen working in the grow room at his business, 1st Micro Greenery, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 in Grand Rapids, MI. Huntoon is among many Michigan farmers that lost free counseling services that were cut from the current state budget. (Kristen Norman for Bridge Michigan)&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1762862483&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;KRISTEN NORMAN 2025&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Chris Huntoon puts sprouted microgreens in a cooler at his business, 1st Micro Greenery in Grand Rapids, MI. Huntoon is among many Michigan farmers that lost free counseling services after they were cut from the current state budget. (Kristen Norman for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Man works on microgreens in greenhouse\" class=\"wp-image-70080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Norman-Microgreens-Farmer-7-1024x683.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Chris Huntoon puts sprouted microgreens in a cooler at his business, 1st Micro Greenery in Grand Rapids, MI. Huntoon is among many Michigan farmers that lost free counseling services after they were cut from the current state budget. (Kristen Norman for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Three Midwest states provide state funding for mental health counseling for farmers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iowa\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/iowaagriculture.gov\/news\/mental-health-and-wellness-program-benefits-farmers-rural-communities\">Farm Mental Health and Wellness Program<\/a> offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iowafarmbureau.com\/Stress-Mental-Health-Resources\">free one-on-one counseling<\/a> to farmers and ranchers, funded by a combination of federal and state funds. There is a similar program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mda.state.mn.us\/new-agricultural-mental-health-counselors-join-statewide-program-supporting-farmers\">in Minnesota<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Illinois, state funding stopped in 2023 but mental health advocates found private funding to continue offering farmer counseling. Since then, farmers have made more than 700 requests for a set of three counseling session vouchers through the <a href=\"https:\/\/iowaagriculture.gov\/news\/mental-health-and-wellness-program-benefits-farmers-rural-communities\">Farm Mental Health and Wellness Program<\/a>. If the farmers use the three vouchers and want more counseling, they can request more vouchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because they are independent businesspeople, \u201cfarmers and ranchers may not have (health) insurance or (they have insurance that) does not have mental health services covered,\u201d said Kacie Hulshof, Illinois Agriculture mental health voucher program coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEven though it\u2019s just 2% of the population, they feed and fuel the American people.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hard times and hope<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Remington Rice is hopeful that a federal grant from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nifa.usda.gov\/grants\/programs\/farm-ranch-stress-assistance-network-frsan\">Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network<\/a> will be renewed in 2026 with enough money to restart the counseling services. He\u2019s not sure of the amount of the grant, hopes it will equal the $90,000 received last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That could happen as soon as January. The funding has already been delayed once.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"592\" data-attachment-id=\"70079\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/generic-farm-01\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1479&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1479\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;11&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS M6 Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1763061809&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;112&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Generic farm 01\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;In Michigan, 11 people working in farming, forestry and fishing died by suicide in 2023, the most recent year for which statewide data is available. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C173&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C592&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-.jpg?resize=1024%2C592&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Farm with field in front\" class=\"wp-image-70079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C592&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C173&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C444&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C887&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1183&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C693&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1155&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C451&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C231&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01--1024x592.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In Michigan, 11 people working in farming, forestry and fishing died by suicide in 2023, the most recent year for which statewide data is available. (Scott Harmsen for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if that funding comes through, Michigan\u2019s farmer mental health program would have to operate on 44% of the money it had during the last budget year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the Rice family farm, father Randy Rice stood in the back yard and looked across a pasture where his cows graze in good weather. It\u2019s the same green vista his father, grandfather and great-grandfather saw.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They survived hard times, too. But most everyone had a connection to the land back then, he said. Now, \u201cpeople buy beef wrapped in cellophane and don\u2019t know where it came from\u201d or the hardships of the people on those farms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a terrible situation that farmers are so stressed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-light-gray-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Help is available for those considering suicide or worried about a family member or friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dial 988 for assistance or go to <a href=\"https:\/\/988lifeline.org\/chat\/?_ga=2.114223623.1648100838.1659371461-453909216.1657912403\"><strong>Lifeline Chat : Lifeline (988lifeline.org)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Farm families looking for suicide prevention help can fill out a form<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/managing_farm_stress\/teletherapy-program\"> here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A list of local suicide prevention crisis lines is available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/mdhhs\/safety-injury-prev\/injuryprevention\/programs\/suicide-prevention-a\/suicide-prevention\/coalitions-and-crisis-lines\">here<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Farm families can contact Remington Rice, a Michigan State University Extension community behavioral health educator, at (231) 882-0026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Generational pride and everyday despair coexist on Michigan\u2019s 44,000 farms, fueling a suicide rate five times the state average. In this year\u2019s budget, Michigan ended funding for counseling some credit with saving lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1804,"featured_media":70086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-12-02T21:28:48Z","apple_news_api_id":"2150d084-613b-46d7-8d49-0e74a18ea717","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-12-03T19:31:56Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AIVDQhGE7RteNSQ50oY6nFw","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2446],"tags":[4328,62],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2459],"class_list":["post-70068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-health-watch","tag-top-of-homepage","tag-rural-michigan","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Suicides plague Michigan farms. 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Ron came to Bridge in 2011 from The Detroit News, where he was a project reporter. Born and raised in Indiana, Ron graduated from Purdue University. He reported for newspapers across Indiana before moving to Michigan in 1995. Ron lives in Okemos, and like the true Michigander he\u2019s become, he now has a family cabin Up North. You can reach him at rfrench@bridgemi.com or 517-214-3636.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/author\/ron-french\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Suicides plague Michigan farms. Michigan just ended money to help - Bridge Michigan","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/suicides-plague-michigan-farms-michigan-just-ended-money-to-help\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Suicides plague Michigan farms. 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Ron came to Bridge in 2011 from The Detroit News, where he was a project reporter. Born and raised in Indiana, Ron graduated from Purdue University. He reported for newspapers across Indiana before moving to Michigan in 1995. Ron lives in Okemos, and like the true Michigander he\u2019s become, he now has a family cabin Up North. You can reach him at rfrench@bridgemi.com or 517-214-3636.","url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/author\/ron-french\/"}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/suicides-plague-michigan-farms-michigan-just-ended-money-to-help\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Suicides plague Michigan farms. 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Dueling budgets in the Legislature include no funding for intervention or help.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Health Watch&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Health Watch","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-health-watch\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Remington Rice in a field.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/remington-rice-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/remington-rice-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/remington-rice-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/remington-rice-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/remington-rice-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70452,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/lawmakers-push-farmer-suicide-prevention-funding-after-bridge-michigan-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":70068,"position":1},"title":"Lawmakers push farmer suicide prevention funding after Bridge Michigan report","author":"Jordyn Hermani","date":"December 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Bipartisan lawmakers in the Michigan House say funding for a farmer suicide prevention program must be restored following a Bridge Michigan report on high suicide rates.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Government&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Government","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A empty farm.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-01-1-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":70065,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/suicide-rate-highest-in-northern-michigan-services-are-scarce-guns-plentiful\/","url_meta":{"origin":70068,"position":2},"title":"Suicide rate highest in northern Michigan: services are scarce, guns plentiful","author":"Ron French","date":"December 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"More people die by suicide than in car crashes or homicides. Deaths are rising, and rural areas have higher rates because of isolation and access to care and firearms.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Health Watch&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Health Watch","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-health-watch\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Red barn in front of field","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-03-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-03-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-03-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-03-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Generic-farm-03-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1325,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-rolls-out-relief-dairy-farmers-hurt-bird-flu\/","url_meta":{"origin":70068,"position":3},"title":"Michigan rolls out relief for dairy farmers hurt by bird flu","author":"Janelle D. James","date":"June 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Michigan Department of Agriculture is offering financial assistance to dairy farms that have been impacted by the recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Health Watch&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Health Watch","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-health-watch\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Veterinarians vaccinate against diseases in poultry such as farm chickens, H5N1 H5N6 Avian Influenza","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bird-flu-shutterstock.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bird-flu-shutterstock.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bird-flu-shutterstock.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bird-flu-shutterstock.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bird-flu-shutterstock.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9227,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/guest-commentary\/farmers-have-carrots-schools-need-veggies-michigan-success-story\/","url_meta":{"origin":70068,"position":4},"title":"Farmers have carrots. Schools need veggies. A Michigan success story.","author":"Diane Conners","date":"February 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"A state pilot program that rewards farmers for providing produce to local schools should be funded across Michigan.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Guest Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Guest Commentary","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/guest-commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/carrots.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/carrots.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/carrots.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/carrots.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/carrots.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3822,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/guest-commentary\/opinion-michigan-community-colleges-need-funding-mental-health-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":70068,"position":5},"title":"Opinion | Michigan community colleges need funding for mental health services","author":"Alex Ammann","date":"September 12, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"It is time to level the playing field and ensure community college students are receiving the mental health resources and support they need.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Guest Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Guest Commentary","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/guest-commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"headshot","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Ammann_Headshot.jpg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1804"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70068"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70113,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70068\/revisions\/70113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70068"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=70068"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=70068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}