Behavioral Health Planning: A Key to Farming in the Era of COVID-19

Summary: COVID-19 adds new uncertainties to farming on top of a five-year or longer economic recession in most sectors of agriculture.  Like climate shifts, tariffs, and disease outbreaks in crops and livestock, COVID-19 is largely beyond the control of agricultural producers.  Importantly however, we can mostly control how we behave.  Agricultural producers will learn how to develop plans for minimizing infections of the virus, set up arrangements for access to necessary inputs such as equipment and repairs, contracts for a labor force and transportation, and where to become knowledgeable about federal and state assistance programs.

Intended Audience: farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and others who serve the agricultural community, including Extension personnel, healthcare workers, and public officials.

Learning Objectives:

• Webinar participants will learn how the behavioral health of agricultural producers differs from the non-farm population, particularly during this era of COVID-19;
• The participants will learn how to develop behavior coping plans within their families and with employees;
• The participants will learn about daily behavioral management practices, including sleep, family talking sessions, physical affirmations that produce relaxation and comfort, diet, and maintaining affiliation along with physical distancing;
• How to build a support network of needed expertise while minimizing exposure to COVID-19.