Free Counseling for Montana's Farmers and Ranchers is Back

Photo by Bob Nichols, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Montana, 2011.

Nobody feels the stress of a drought or heat wave like a farmer or a rancher. These folks are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and it impacts their bottom line, their animals, their families, and their health as they work outside through the extreme weather that we're facing more and more often. They deserve to be supported, and Montana needs them.

That's why we're very pleased that our members can continue to refer agricultural patients to Frontier Psychiatry for free counseling through a program with Beyond the Weather. After a short break when funding from the MT Dept of Agriculture ran out, they've found internal funds to keep the program going. Patients can call Frontier at (406) 200-8471, ext #7, and mention Beyond the Weather to set up an appointment through the program.

Free counseling for stressed farmers

Beyond the Weather is a project of the Northern Ag Network, a trusted source of agricultural information in our  state. We've had the pleasure of listening to Courtney Kibblewhite and her brother Colter Brown speak about the pressures ag workers face at a couple different conferences now, and we're very grateful for their message. 

Farmers and ranchers are tough, smart people who are constantly adapting to stressful situations. As their doctors, their nurses, and their counselors, their health is our top priority, and that means having the tough conversations about managing stress before it becomes a problem. Our brains are our most important farm equipment! And just like our tractors, sometimes they need a tune-up.