I don’t have to tell you what a challenging and stressful year it’s been —
you’ve been living it.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reporting over a million acres went unplanted in Ohio this year. That’s the most unplanted acres our state has seen since the agency started keeping that specific record in 2007. I’ve spoken with some guys who have been farming for decades and they don’t remember ever seeing it this bad. There are certainly some pockets where crops got in the ground and are looking okay. Others look stressed due to, ironically, a lack of rain. I know everyone is hoping to see a good mix of rain and heat for the rest of this summer and a nice long fall season so we can get the most out of our soybeans and corn as possible.

Being at the mercy of Mother Nature is part of farming — but that doesn’t take away the stress that can come from it. It’s tough out there and it’s okay to need some support to get through. The first and most important thing to take care of on your operation is yourself.

Help is available and The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences have been compiling information that could be helpful, including where and how to access mental health resources. Those can be found at go.osu.edu/AgCrisis.

If you see a friend or neighbor struggling, reach out to them. Agriculture is and has always been a close-knit community. Let’s help each other.

Scott Metzger, OSA President