Health Plans proposal aims to fill coverage gaps
Farmers’ physical and mental health are often compromised by lack of health coverage. Farm Bureau seeks to establish Farm Bureau Health Plans.
Read MoreThe Yvonne Lesicko Perseverance Prize recognizes groups or individuals working to find innovative solutions to farmer mental health difficulties. Nominations are due July 31, 2023.
Farm life can be demanding and stressful and the mental health challenges that come with it are an ongoing problem. Ohio Farm Bureau has been a part of many initiatives to raise mental health awareness and reduce stigma surrounding the issue in rural communities. Yvonne Lesicko, former Ohio Farm Bureau vice president of public policy who died unexpectedly in June 2020, was one of the leaders who helped to create the state’s “Got Your Back” farm stress coalition.
The Yvonne Lesicko Memorial Fund was created to recognize her life and career. The fund, within the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, was established to support the causes and initiatives that she cared so deeply about, including farmer mental health.
The Y Prize award, created through the memorial fund, recognizes groups or individuals working to find innovative solutions to farmer mental health issues, including: addressing issues of access to resources, lessening of stigma around mental health issues, and collaborating among health care, rural medicine and agriculture groups.
The Y Prize award recipient, whether an individual or a group, will be given a platform to share their work and efforts. As part of the award, Ohio Farm Bureau will feature and recognize the award recipient in publications and social media, at the state annual meeting (Dec. 7-8, 2023) and during the Young Ag Professionals Winter Leadership Experience (Jan. 26-27, 2024). All of this is part of the award’s goal of lessening the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Nominations are being accepted through July 31, 2023.
Learn more about 2022 recipient Ashley Rose.
Farmers’ physical and mental health are often compromised by lack of health coverage. Farm Bureau seeks to establish Farm Bureau Health Plans.
Read MoreThe event focused on the nine dimensions of mental health.
Read MoreMore seminars are currently in the planning stages, including programs on grass-fed livestock, pasture management, and calving.
Read MoreOvercoming this stigma falls upon the shoulders of family, friends, loved ones and the broader community—and it begins with open and honest communication.
Read MoreWhat are the common stressors in Ohio agriculture and how is mental health perceived in rural Ohio? Plus, get details about the upcoming Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium.
Read MoreMental health resources are available to farmers at farmstateofmind.org and the 988 national suicide and crisis hotline.
Read MoreFarm Bureau realizes that it’s been a rough couple of years between overreaching regulations, severe weather during planting/harvesting season, and…
Read MoreSee the list of survey winners as well as photos from the fair and the Skillathon.
Read MoreLearn about a confidential mental wellness survey you can take to help your community and others like it, and find out about the 988 Lifeline and how it is being put to use across Ohio.
Read MoreThe comprehensive training Feb. 16 covered general agricultural safety, employee health, and mental health well-being
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