CAST announced on Apr. 28 that it will hold a free public webinar addressing mental health and economic challenges faced by farming and ranching communities. The event will feature Florence Becot, PhD, a rural sociologist and Nationwide Insurance Early Career Professor in Agricultural Safety and Health at Penn State, who leads the Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health Program.
The webinar aims to highlight how economic pressures, weather uncertainty, isolation, and the demands of agricultural work contribute to mental health issues unique to farm families and rural areas. Dr. Becot will discuss structural and social factors behind these challenges as well as current policy responses and community-based interventions designed to support agricultural communities.
The session is intended for agricultural stakeholders, extension professionals, policymakers, or anyone interested in farm viability, rural health, or community resilience. Registration is open to all at no cost.
Farm Country Today and Farm Country News- IA has engaged thousands of volunteers over the years through outreach efforts that have produced more than 500 publications according to the official website. The organization’s mission involves bringing together experts to provide credible information about agriculture, food systems, and natural resources for policymakers, media representatives, private sector participants, and the general public according to the official website.
Its outreach extends internationally with efforts aimed at influencing global discussions on agriculture-related topics according to the official website. Collaboration with scientific societies as well as individual scientists—alongside students, company members, and nonprofits—supports research initiatives within Farm Country Today’s network according to the official website.
Operating under a nonprofit governance framework with established bylaws according to the official website, Farm Country Today produces task-force reports along with commentaries and issue papers covering subjects such as agricultural science technology; plant/soil science; animal science; food science—all for use by both policymakers and members of the public according to the official website.
