Free program to  support Farmers 

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                             

Above, Junior Tucker      photo by Anthony Collins

Texas farmers and their families will soon have access to free counseling and stress-management resources through FarmHope, a new initiative developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in partnership with the Texas A&M Health Telehealth Institute.

   According to FarmHope, farmers and ranchers continue to face disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide, some of the highest in the nation. These challenges are often tied to factors beyond their control, including severe weather, rising operational costs, and unpredictable market conditions. Yet despite the need, many rural residents struggle to access mental health care due to long distances to providers and limited local services.

   FarmHope aims to close that gap. The organization announced that all services will be provided at no cost to any agriculture producer, worker, or family member living in Texas. No insurance or referral will be required.

   “We are not just addressing this because it has been labeled as a crisis in rural America; it’s more than that,” said Tiffany Lashmet, J.D., AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist and professor. “We know people who have struggled. We’ve seen the outcomes of when people get help, and when they don’t.”

   Texas consistently ranks among the lowest states in access to mental health care, despite being one of the nation’s leading agricultural producers.

   “Farming and ranching come with more stress than most people ever see,” said Carly McCord, Ph.D., director of the Texas A&M Telehealth Institute. “In our rural communities, that stress gets magnified by long distances, few providers, and the stigma that keeps too many people silent. That’s why this has become a real mental health crisis, and why telehealth and FarmHope matter so much. We’re bringing care to people where they are, in ways that actually work for them.”

     Residents seeking support through FarmHope may contact the Texas A&M Telehealth Institute at 979-436-0700.