Guest Blog

In a recent blog post, Sarah Beth Aubrey wrote that there are almost a million women working as the lead operators on farms, according to the USDA, and increasingly women are seen taking the helm at the C-suite level (CEO, CFO, COO, etc.) across ag and agribusiness.

The conversation in agriculture is changing. Some may think it’s a change for the worse, but I think it’s a change for the better. The conversation I’m talking about is mental health in ag.

I head to the calf barn in the morning dressed in pants, a sweatshirt and a stocking hat. My attire for afternoon feeding includes a T-shirt and shorts. This can only mean one thing: Fall has arrived.

Energy is generally in high demand and short supply during a challenging season, and 2020 continues throwing one crisis and challenge after another at us. On top of everyday stressors, there is an extra layer of stress due to natural disasters, pandemic-related regulations affecting farms and the overall turmoil occurring in cities across America. It is a lot to handle and can take a toll.

My story began at 6 years old when a little calf started my love of cows. And it continued on for many years when I showed dairy cattle in 4-H. Every friendship that ever lasted was created at a county fair, showing cows. My first job was at 7 years old, feeding calves.

Sustainability is something the farming community hears a lot about – often described as making people, profits and the planet the priorities. That can seem overwhelming for dairy farmers as they try to make money, understand what customers want, protect water quality and tell the community about what they do and why.