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Ohio Dept. of Ag backs our farmers

Ohio farmers are a proud and hardy bunch, accustomed to facing challenges without much assistance. For many of them, the idea of asking for help is difficult to process. It is a mindset the Ohio Farm Bureau is working to adjust with the campaign #gotyourback.

Ohio farmers have not had an easy couple of years. Two rough springs in a row, trade wars, and the realities of long hours spent working alone on the farm are taking their toll.

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the suicide rate among farmers is more than double that of the general population.

So, the department of agriculture and other farming organizations throughout the state are working together on #gotyourback to remind farmers it is all right to address their own mental health, and to encourage them to visit local extension offices for more resources — and ideas on how to keep farms running or find jobs away from the farm.

That last option is unthinkable for many who have dedicated their lives (and watched generations of their families before them do the same) to their farms. That dedication is all the more reason for anyone who is struggling through these difficult times to seek help.

It is important for them to know, tough times or not, the Buckeye State really has #gotyourback.

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