Healthy Farmers, Healthy Farms
Our Farm Strong NH program has concluded. The federal funds that supported this program had a completion date of August 31, 2023. We were however able to work with NH State Senator Howard Pearl, and NH Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets, and Food Shawn Jasper, to secure some funding in the state’s biennial budget. To learn more about this program and to access the forms, please go to the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food website; the link to this program is: https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/agricultural-development/fmhp.htm.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact:
Josh Marshall, Division of Agricultural Development, NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food joshua.k.marshall@agr.nh.gov, 603-271-3688, or
Seth Wilner, UNH Extension, Regional Field Specialist Farm Business Management, seth.wilner@unh.edu, 603-543-7169.
Farm Strong NH is a collaborative effort to address structural root causes of farmer stress, mental health, and suicide in New Hampshire. This statewide effort is supported by Cultivemos (the Farm & Ranch Stress Assistance Network), a regional and national network, to build behavioral health awareness, literacy, access, and outcomes for farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers in the Northeast. You can learn more about the efforts at a regional level here https://www.cultivemos.org/
Our goal is to alleviate the stressors of farming by:
- Building farmers’ skills through education
- Developing and collecting informational resources in an on-line resource library
- Connecting farmers with their peers for practical and confidential assistance
More About Ways To Get Help
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Mental Wellbeing
Mental Well-being
Let us help you take the stress out of farming by connecting you with confidential therapeutic support. You can call 1-800-429-7153 to be connected directly with a licensed mental health professional. While funding to offset the cost of mental health services for farmers and farm families has been expended, we are happy to make referrals to a licensed therapist. We have identified a handful of therapists that both understand the nature of farm life and have participated in a training to help them better understand the unique experiences and needs of farmers.
Social Work / Case Management Support
We all want the best for our family. Could you use assistance navigating resources in your community for you and your family? A Social Worker can help! Issues like insurance, food instability, and childcare issues can be complicated to understand. Let us help you steer you in the right direction.
Please call our Mental Health Hotline: 1-800-429-7153 where you will be connected with a social worker.
BLOG: Taking Care of Your Mental Health - Tips for Farmers
Mental Well-Being Resources
Farm Stress and Emotional Well-Being Part I, ATTRA NCAT
This publication was developed to be used by anyone working or living in the farming world. It addresses reducing and managing stress, risk factors, emotions, and spirituality.
Farm Stress and Emotional Well-Being Part II, ATTRA NCAT
This publication was developed to be used by anyone working or living in the farming world. Part-two addresses substance-use disorder, family relationships, suicide, and therapy.
Talking Total Farmer Health Podcast, AgriSafe Network
A monthly podcast tackling important safety issues relevant to producers and ag workers.
Explore men's mental health resources with Man Therapy®
Designed to help men or anyone with a man in their life (partner, brother, uncle, son, friend, etc.) deal with issues like depression, anxiety, anger, and suicidal thoughts
UNH Extension Health & Well-Being Team
Thriving Youth - Promoting positive youth development
Youth Programs - Resources that prioritize young people's mental wellness
Aging Well - Prioritizing building aging friendly communities and helping individuals achieve optimal health and well-being
Legal
Legal matters such as farm transfer, setting up a trust or will, leases and rental agreements or neighbor conflicts can create significant stress on a farm business and farm family. While we offer ongoing general education on these topics and can share some templates for leases and rental agreements, we cannot provide legal advice.
Download the Legal Guide for New Hampshire Agricultural Producers.
Legal Aid
The NH Legal Food Hub is a free service that connects eligible farmers, food entrepreneurs and food-related organizations to volunteer attorneys. You can apply for our services at www.legalfoodhub.org as well as access many free legal guides within our Resource Library. Email: legalfoodhub@clf.org
Answers to Legal Questions
Need legal direction or background? Do you have questions about farm law but don't know where to start for answers? Are you unsure if your issue requires an attorney? Or, maybe you just want more background on a legal subject you're exploring?
Visit the Farm Commons website to review a list of their most frequently asked farm law questions in their library or review the Selected Essentials in Farm Employment Law - New Hampshire resource.
Videos
This video series was created in partnership with Burnham Legal PLLC and covers a range of topics including: asset transfer, trusts, last wills and testaments, limited liability companies, and more.
1. Last Wills and Testaments & Trusts
2. Medicaid Look-back and Disqualification Period
Podcast
Here are episodes we recommend from our friends at Farm Commons Podcast:
: Protecting Your Long-term Lease - Explore whether the H-2A visa program is potentially a solution for your farm or ranch workforce needs. Download the episode 1 tipsheet.
: Leasing Farmland to Your Farm Business - personal or business? Best practices to protecting your land. Download the episode 2 tipsheet.
3: Farmland Leasing 101 - staff attorney Sarah Vaile breaks down what a lease is, how it functions, and the creative power you have to shape how it works. Download the episode 3 tipsheet.
4: Decoding Your Food Safety Liability Coverage - clarity how this coverage generally works. Download the episode 4 tipsheet.
5: Disabling Dangers on the Farm with Insurance Options - accidents happen! Manage and prevent dangers with three key insurance options. Download the episode 5 tipsheet.
: Legal Considerations for Working Interviews - risk management techniques to consider when using working interviews. Download the episode 6 tipsheet.
: Legally Sound Internships on Your Farm - Can I call my workers interns even if they are paid minimum wage? Download the episode 7 tipsheet.
8: Hiring Workers Through the H-2A Visa Program - how to navigate hiring H-2A workers and if it's a good fit for your farm.
9: Unlock the Potential of a Farm Employee Handbook - the surprising efficiencies and improvements that farm employee handbooks can provide for your operation. Download the episode 9 tipsheet.
10: Getting on a Roll with Payroll - payroll can be a confusing, but it doesn't have to be! Download the episode 10 tipsheet.
11: Why Some Farms Pay Wages as Salary - legal experts explain how paying employees via salary can be a strategic option for farmers and ranchers who are required to pay overtime. Download the episode 11 tipsheet.
12: Avoiding Discriminatory Questions in Interviews - includes questions prohibited from asking during an interview. Download the episode 12 tipsheet.
13: Avoiding Discrimination in Hiring and Firing on New Hampshire Farms - how to identify and avoid (accidental) discrimination in employment law on your farm so that you can manage your workforce with confidence.
14: Choosing a Business Structure Together - how to choose the right business structure when operating the farm with others.
15: Farm Couples and Managing Stress through Paperwork - the powerful role of paperwork in managing business and personal stress when farming with a spouse or romantic partner.
16: Farming with Family – Getting in and getting out - key legal considerations for setting up a farm business with family members.
17: Strategies for Paying Yourself as a Business Owner - should it be salary or by owner's draw, and how much?
Financial
Running a farm can also bring the stressors of farm financial management. The Farm Financial Management Report Excel Workbook is a tool for farmers that generates a cash flow budget, beginning and ending balance sheets, and a farm income statement. The intended audiences are farmers and consultants familiar with farm finance and excel.
Mediation
If you have a problem with a lender, creditor, USDA program, neighbor, or need assistance with a lease, labor or contract issue, or a farm transition, please connect with NH Agriculture Mediation to help you resolve the situation. NHAMP provides free mediation services to the agricultural community to help resolve disputes before they end up in court.
What is Mediation? An informal process where parties meet with a neutral person who helps in the negotiation of differences. It is a voluntary and confidential alternative to traditional legal and regulatory processes. The mediator does not determine who is legally right or wrong nor will the mediator tell either party what to do. Mediation leaves the decision-making power totally and strictly with the parties. Mediators work with all parties to: Eliminate communication obstacles, Facilitate a calm and rational discussion, Identify and clarify the issues, Explore options, Record agreements.
Visit the NH Agriculture Mediation Webpage to request a session.
Peer to Peer Networks
Farmer to Farmer Support Network with Vital Communities
Interested in connecting with other farmers? Vital Communities plans to host a series of storytelling and discussion events to foster community amongst farmers, particularly with regards to shared challenges or stresses of farming.
If you're a farmer or farm group looking for more information, contact Cameron Huftalen at cameron@vitalcommunities.org or 802-291-9100.
NH Queer Farmer* Network
A group of farmers are working together to forge a network of queer farmers. The group meets informally both online and on farms to form community, assess needs, and share opportunities. Email nhqueerfarmers@gmail.com to connect.
*Note: “N.H. queer farmers” means anyone who is a farmworker, farmowner, or aspiring farmer/homesteader who is living and/or working in the state of New Hampshire and identifies with the word queer.
BIPOC Farmer Network
Connect with staff at the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project at the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success. Please contact Anthony Munene if you wish to connect with other new American farmers: amunene@refugeesuccess.org
NH Psychiatric Crisis Services
1-833-710-6477
Call or text the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point or visit www.NH988.com to chat with a trained professional.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-8255
The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. You do not need to be suicidal to call.
- UNH Extension
- National Young Farmer Coalition
- NH Farm Bureau
- NH Department of Agriculture Markets and Food
- NCAT/ATTRA
- NH Agriculture Mediation
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Farm Strong NH (aka Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network - FRSAN) project 2021-09294 -thru the State Departments of Agriculture grant
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Farm Strong NH (aka Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network - FRSAN) project 2019-70028-30464 and 2020-70028-thru the National Young Farmers Coalition
