Wisconsin Farmers Protecting Programs for Rural Mental Health

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023 -- 8:06 AM

(By Gaby Vinick, Wisconsin Public Radio) In 2017, Dan Wegmueller, a fourth-generation farmer and owner of Wegmueller Farms, was on the brink of bankruptcy.

According to Gaby Vinick with Wisconsin Public Radio, it wasn’t until he converted his farmhouse into an Airbnb and expanded into agritourism, that his business got back on track. "It's brought in a revenue stream that we desperately needed to keep the farm going. But it's also made farming fun again," Wegmueller said.

While his business was struggling, Wegmueller was also dealing with the loss of his parents. He said it was a lot to manage. Wegmueller was able to turn things around, but he said he's seen other farmers struggle, as western Wisconsin leads the nation in farm bankruptcies.

He said that stress can take its toll on farmers' mental health and it makes him wonder: "Why is rural mental health such a big issue? Now, in this day and age?" He and other farmers grapple with those questions with Farm Well Wisconsin, an organization that aims to support the well-being of farmers, farm workers and their families.

It's an extension of an anti-poverty agency called the Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program, which covers Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette and Richland counties. 

Now, Wegmueller attends regular meetings and connects with farmers about his own experiences through the group. "We need to protect programs like this for the simple fact that it gets people talking. Nobody's alone in this," he said.

The group, founded in 2020, is funded through a five-year grant associated with the Wisconsin Partnership Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

Through trainings, community members work on building empathetic listening skills, connecting people with resources and discussing issues related to farm culture.

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