By Quinn O’Hara

The Clay Counts Coalition has organized an effort to address mental health issues in agriculture with a new peer-to-peer suicide prevention program called Farmer to Farmer.

Lori Martin, the Clay Counts Coalition’s Community Mobilizer, said the initiative will focus on farmers and those who talk with them the most, such as their banker, seed dealer, or implement dealer.

The first public training of Farmer to Farmer will be held on August 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Prairieland Partners. It will focus on the warning signs of a mental health crisis- what people close to farmers can look for and what they can do to support farmers and encourage them to seek professional mental help.