When
Christy Seyfert talks about the state of the farm economy,
she’s careful to also make sure to talk about the state of farm mental health.
“The suicide rate for farmers is three and a half times that of the general public, and any life lost is just heartbreaking. It is one too many,” she said, citing statistics from the National Rural Health Association.
Christy Seyfert, president and CEO of Farm Credit Services, on Jan. 27, 2026.
Jenny Schlecht / Agweek
Seyfert is the president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council, the national trade association representing Farm Credit, and she touts the work of her organization and its member organizations in looking out for the well-being of farmers. The resources include a
section of the Farm Credit Council website, which features links to mental health resources, information on rural resilience training and links to additional programs from organizations that partner with Farm Credit.
“I really appreciate that Farm Credit has poured resources into making complementary resources available to farmers and ranchers in need. Farm Credit has also invested resources into rural resilience, training for our people, for others, so they can spot and help those who may be in need,” Seyfert said.
That section of the website also features a documentary produced by American AgCredit, called
that was released in May 2025 in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The powerful 20-minute documentary features farmers, farm families and ag officials from across the U.S. who talk about their personal experiences with farm stress and suicide. Among the interviews featured in the documentary is one with Amber Dykshorn-Luke, a South Dakota woman whose husband, Chris, died by suicide after taking over the family farm.
“It is intended to shine a spotlight on the mental health crisis in rural America. The intent of that is to show the impact that that ultimate decision has on families, on communities, and shine a light on ways farmers can get help. They shouldn’t just try to go it alone,” Seyfert said.
The documentary highlights the struggles in rural areas, along with the lack of resources — including that 65% of rural counties across the U.S. don’t have a single psychiatrist — but offers tangible resources that are available.
“The stigma surrounding mental health often prevents individuals from seeking help,” said American AgCredit CEO Curt Hudnutt in a statement. “Our hope is that rural community members feel just as comfortable getting support for their mental health as they do for their physical health.”
Seyfert said the Farm Credit resources strive to show people experiencing high levels of stress that they are not the only ones feeling that way.
“I think the worst thing you can do is, if you are feeling farm stress, to hide and take away and not talk through the challenges that you’re having, because you’re not alone. You’re not alone. There are people out there who can help you. There are people who have probably been through what you’re going through, and talking about it is a really important piece of the puzzle to get on the path to recovery,” she said.
Seyfert said Farm Credit’s hope is that the resources will help someone in need.
“For many, the stress is very real, and many don’t realize there’s help available. There are resources out there to help them,” she said.
Jenny Schlecht is the director of ag content for Agweek and serves as editor of Agweek, Sugarbeet Grower and BeanGrower. She lives on a farm and ranch near Medina, North Dakota, with her husband and two daughters. You can reach her at jschlecht@agweek.com or 701-595-0425.