It would have been a normal obituary submitted by loved ones. Except there was one line that made it different.

“This wet spring just got too much for our farmer.”

Farming can be a very rewarding profession. But it can also be a traumatic experience during hard times. Today, farmers are facing those hard times thanks to tariffs, low prices and an extremely wet spring. Many farmers in southwest Minnesota are unable to plant because fields are still too wet.

There is no doubt rural America is hurting just not economically, but emotionally.

Last week Avera Health released a press release on a 24-hour hotline for farmers as a resource for people in Midwest communities struck by flooding, wet conditions and a volatile agriculture environment. That hotline number is 1-800-691-4336

According to Avera, the hotline is staffed by trained assessment counselors who put callers in touch with local mental health resources.

The Independent posted the article about the hotline on Facebook Sunday. By Monday evening, the post had been shared 73 times. That’s proof there is a lot of concern out there.

According to Farm and Dairy, there are several mental indicators to look for: anxiety, depression and trouble relating to others. If you know a farmer under stress, now is the time to reach out. If nothing else, just offer to listen. And share that Avera hotline number.