Farm Stress
Farming is well known to be a stressful occupation and it’s looking like the spring planting season of 2023 may be another extremely stressful season. While the rain last weekend might have been perfect for pastures and hay land it is pushing an already late planting season even later. Researchers at NDSU are looking for farmers and ranchers to provide input to help better serve the producers and families of North Dakota.
NDSU study seeks farmer/rancher input on well-being
North Dakota farmers and ranchers are invited to participate in a focus group interview to investigate how a worksite well-being program could be designed to effectively decrease stress and increase well-being.
Do you deal with a lot of stress in farming or ranching? You are not alone.
Change is everywhere in agriculture. While some changes are anticipated, such as fluctuations in market prices, others, such as unpredictable weather events or unexpected diseases, can be hard to cope with.
To better understand how the opportunities and constraints faced in their daily operations impact their well-being, Caroline Homan, a doctoral student in Human Development and Family Science at North Dakota State University, is seeking North Dakota farmers and ranchers to participate in a focus group.
“Responding to change in agriculture requires flexibility,” says Homan. “It can be a challenge that stimulates personal and organizational growth, or it can be a source of severe stress that has devastating effects on families.”
North Dakota farmers and ranchers over the age of 18 are invited to participate in a 60-minute focus group interview to investigate how a worksite well-being program could be designed to effectively decrease stress and increase well-being.
The goal of this research is to learn how to best support farmers’ and ranchers’ physical health, social relationships, psychological well-being, and work adjustment.
The focus group interview will be held virtually using Zoom. Six to 10 participants will be in each group. Participants will not use their real names and will agree to respect the privacy of others, and all identifying records will be kept private.
Prior to the focus group, participants will complete a brief online questionnaire to gather demographic information and consider questions related to topics to be discussed during the focus group, such as, “What are your primary sources of strength?”
To participate, please email [email protected]. Each participant will receive a $20 Amazon gift card as a small token of gratitude.