December 6, 2021
Ag Injury News Report
11/25/2021: 16-Year-Old Apple Valley girl dies in ATV crash
11/25/2021: Boy, 2, dies after falling from tractor in southern Manitoba
11/21/2021: Hamilton woman needs help following horrific farm accident
11/16/2021: Farmer dies after sinking in grain bin
11/14/2021: Darlington man badly burned in field fire
11/13/2021: Tennessee man electrocuted on Armuchee farm
11/12/2021: Howard County man dies after tractor malfunctions
December 6, 2021
The SC Agriwellness Program
The SC Agriwellness Program was developed in 2019 just before the COVID Pandemic with initial funding and administration coming from the South Carolina Farm Bureau. The idea came from a program that I had put together and the right people happened to be in the room, an agribusiness that told us about a resource that they provide to their employees, this was heard by a farmer, JEB Wilson of Cotton hills Farm, a couple of Farm Bureau staff, from that point the idea of being able to provide more than just a Crisis Hotline was born. We now have a phone number (1-800-968-8143) that anyone part of the South Carolina agricultural community can call. They simply mention that they are calling as part of the SC AgriWellness program, not only will they be able to receive crises counseling if needed but can be set up to meet with a Mental Health Professional for 3 free counseling sessions. The individual can choose the method of the session which can be through texting, over the phone, virtual, or in person.
Betsy Dorton, Grants Administrator for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, and I (Adam Kantrovich) just received a $500,000 grant to:
Farm Bureau will be assisting in marketing of the program and also providing information and resources to their members around the state. A great deal of assistance that began with Jessica Cabrera which now works for American Farm Bureau, Stephanie Sox, Amanda Croft, Faith Truesdale, and Chalmers Mikell.
Help provide counseling sessions administered by Maria Lund with First Sun, EAP.
Develop some Extension Publication Materials about Farm Stress and Mental Health.
Provide programs throughout the state to raise awareness and education to those that work with farmers and with farmers themselves.
To provide a limited number of for continuing credit courses to mental health professionals within the state through the Agrisafe Farm Response program that will train them about agriculture, the agricultural industry and the challenges that are faced by farmers and their families.
To provide a farm financial analysis of the farm to assist in providing the farmer with where the farm may be financially and to investigate options the farmer may be considering.
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/agribusiness/farmstress/resources.html
https://www.scfb.org/farmstress
December 6, 2021
Adam J. Kantrovich
Hometown: Des Plaines, IL
Position: Extension Specialist – Agribusiness, Director of Clemson Extension Tax School, Asst. Director of the Clemson Cooperative Extension Agribusiness Team
I work with farmers, landowners, the timber industry, and others within the agricultural industry specializing in farm financial management, ag labor policy issues, farm succession, transition, and estate planning; Affordable Care Act compliance, and Farm Stress and Mental Health.
What has been your level of involvement in the Clemson University Ag Safety program?
It has been limited up to this point. But have begun working with Farm Stress and Mental Health area when I was still with Michigan State University Extension, which for me is a part of the larger Ag Safety area and should be thought of as such.
How important is it for farmers and other people in agriculture be safe?
This is an extremely important a part of farm life and living in a rural community. But we need to expand on the idea that Ag or Farm Safety is only a prevention of physical, physiological injury or death, but needs to include the mental health of our farmers, farm families, landowners, and others.
How often do you run across the topic of agricultural safety in your position?
This is a regular issue, every time I step onto a farm property, because of what I typically do, I immediately begin to assess my surroundings about the farmstead, reviewing the facilities, the livestock, etc. There are many issues on a farm that can easily cause injury. Along with the normal day-to-day activities of farming, comes a normal level of stress, but unfortunately for the past 5 or 6 years there has been a number of other variables that has affected many farmers that has increased the stress level which has begun to affect many mentally.
What do you think the biggest concern is regarding agricultural safety?
Beyond the normal working around machinery and equipment, grain facilities, and livestock, one of the largest issues is the mental health and wellbeing of farmers, farm families and landowners. Under prolong high stress times, stress can begin to have a negative effect on a person’s body physically and physiologically. Making an individual more susceptible to becoming ill through a lowered immune response system, cardiac issues, and more susceptible to making errors when working around machinery and or livestock causing injury or death due to their minds being taken up by thinking about their financial situation or other issues that might be present.
How can/are SC Agriwellness and CU Ag Safety working together to improve in this area?
First and foremost, by raising awareness about the situation. Second, by educating everyone that we can that being under stress can cause many other issues in one’s life on the farm and that it is okay to seek assistance from a professional Mental Health Professional. By simply talking to someone about what is going on, what a farmer may be going through and thinking about is by itself helpful for many. Third, providing information about the resources available through the SC Agriwellness program for those in South Carolina Agriculture.
Why is safety necessary? You share any personal experiences if you are willing?
Farming is an extremely satisfying profession and lifestyle, but it does come with its many risks, some of which we can control, and many others that we cannot. But when things begin to turn negative due to crops destroyed, low prices or the higher cost of inputs and money begins to get tight, we begin to become stressed and begin to think about possible solutions which unfortunately may lead to marriage problems, substance abuse, and or thoughts of taking one’s life. I have seen the impacts to a farm family due to suicide within the family. In many cases this creates additional issues for the farm and farm family and does not necessarily resolve the underlying issues that created the stress in the first place.
What do you think is the best way to teach agricultural safety?
Teach by doing and lead by example.
Describe the impacts that a safety intervention can have on children.
Prevention of losing a limb, a life, the possibility of being able to pass the farm to the next generation.
What is the biggest way to leave an impression the agricultural community?
Having a personal connection and building trust one person at a time.
What can be done to spread awareness about safety issues?
Never stop teaching and providing little educational “nuggets” whenever someone can.
Do you have any advice for the agricultural sector in this time of uncertainty?
There is nothing wrong asking for help. Contact someone for assistance, whether that be a family member, a neighbor, an Extension agent or staff member or anyone else that can provide assistance. Whether they are the one that can provide the assistance needed or help you in reaching the resource that you need.
