Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program Director Mike Mayberry spoke with Farm Director KC Sheperd about the history and vital role of the organization in September, which is Suicide Prevention Month. The Oklahoma Ag Mediation office is one of 44 similar programs nationwide, and it was established in 1988 in response to the farm crisis of the 1980s. According to Mayberry, this crisis led to a period where farmers and ranchers were “desperate and were committing suicide so they could collect on their life insurance policies and save the farm”.
The organization’s founding was inspired by the work of Mona Lee Brock, a farm advocate who “would drive to them, take their calls 24 hours a day,” and helped save Oklahoma farmers.
The Challenges of Farm Life and Suicide Prevention
Mayberry noted that the financial and emotional challenges for farmers today are very similar to those in the 1980s. He stated that farm suicide rates are “two to five times greater than the national average” for non-farmers. He said his board of directors, many of whom remember the crisis of the 80s, believe that farmers today are feeling “pretty lonely”. Farm Director KC Sheperd added that producers “battle this stuff day to day,” as their problems don’t stop just because they’re waiting on the government or better weather.
Recognizing Signs of Distress
To help people identify when someone may be struggling, Mayberry provided a list of warning signs and urged people to look for signs of distress in themselves or others, including “changes in routine or not taking care of the place or the animals, more illnesses for the people that are working the farm, more accidents on the farm, and the farm starts to go down in appearance, loss of activities and interest outside the farm”. He noted that the mediation program has successfully helped hundreds of farmers and a few who were “considering harming themselves”.
Resources for Help
- The Farm Aid hotline (1-800-327-6243), which is specifically for farmers and ranchers needing emotional or mental assistance.
- The 988 hotline, which can be called or texted, is a general suicide hotline.
Mayberry emphasized that there are several resources available for those in need. He highlighted the 988 hotline, a general suicide prevention line that can be reached by phone or text. For resources specifically tailored to farmers and ranchers, he recommended the Farm Aid hotline, 1-800-FARM AID (1-800-327-6243). The Oklahoma Ag Mediation Program itself has helped people who were “considering harming themselves,” and Mayberry says he is glad to report that those have all been “successful outcomes”.
The mediation program, which is free of charge in all 77 Oklahoma Counties, can also help farmers resolve disputes over finances, land, or USDA programs before the problems escalate to a crisis. You can contact the Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program by searching for “Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program” or by calling (405) 521-3934 or (800) 248-5465.
Get in Touch With Us!
Oklahoma Agriculture Mediation Program, Inc
2800 North Lincoln Blvd.
2nd Floor
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Office: 405-521-3934 Fax: 405-521-3926
Toll Free: 1-800-248-5465
mediation@ag.ok.gov
