from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Fiona C. Doherty (Ohio State U), Rachel E. Tayse (Harmonius Homestead LLC), Michelle Kaiser (Ohio State U), and Smitha Rao (Ohio State U)
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Beginning farmers are critical in shaping resilient food systems amid a worsening climate crisis. Reports indicate a prevalence of stress and adverse mental health outcomes among U.S. farmers, yet there are gaps in the literature concerning the well-being of beginning farmers, which is a heterogeneous group with a growing number of women and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or People of Color) producers. The agricultural industry has a legacy of systemic oppression and exploitation of marginal communities. Thus, it is important to understand the unique needs of an emerging, more diverse generation of farmers, especially as discrimination is associated with stress and poor mental health outcomes. In this From the Vault article, “‘The farm has an insatiable appetite’: A food justice approach to understanding beginning farmer stress,” the authors used a community-engaged, mixed-methods research project to utilize a food justice framework to understand systemic stressors and coping strategies among Midwestern beginning farmers.
Farmer stress, equity issues, and start-up barriers are common in the U.S. Midwest, a highly productive agricultural region significant for local and global economies. Farmland consolidation is more prevalent in the Midwest than other U.S. regions; along with structural discrimination, consolidation has contributed to a decline in the number of beginning and Black farmers since 1978. Midwestern farmers face an array of stressors. KEY FINDINGS - Farmer stress and mental health have gained recognition globally, with increasing attention to occupational stress and farmer suicides.
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There is a dearth of studies considering gender beyond the binary of male and female; only one farm stress study recognized gender-nonbinary individuals in its sample.
- There is scarce published quantitative research on queer farmers, nor research focused on their unique stressors.
- Race and ethnicity are often neglected in studies of farmer stress or mental health.
- The authors found no studies on the stress or mental health specifically of beginning farmers.
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As a result of structural oppression, the number of U.S. Black farmers decreased by 93% between 1940 and 1974.
- Pernicious cultural norms within the U.S. agricultural community also contribute to racial and gender-based oppression.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH -
This cross-sectional study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced responses and respondent concerns. Future longitudinal studies can provide more in-depth understanding of beginning farmer stress.
- Future studies should aim for random sampling techniques for more representative results.
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Future work should validate the modified scale across contexts. The authors' use of the term “BIPOC” may indicate an overgeneralization of a shared non-white experience and history; however, the authors wanted to emphasize the unique experiences between and among races and ethnicities.
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Beginning farmers are critical in shaping resilient food systems amid a worsening climate crisis—but they face compounding stressors. From land loss and economic hardship to diminished markets, farmer stress is an ongoing concern. Read this @JAFSCD article From the Vault originally published in spring 2023 for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2023.123.011
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Photo above from the USDA Flickr account: New farmer Leonardo Aguila checks his orchard of avocado trees on his 6.3-acre farm in Fallbrook, California, on Nov. 11, 2018.
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