This year’s drought and derecho have created a stressful harvest season for Iowa farmers, so Guthrie County Extension and Outreach is implementing a program to show local producers they care and that they shouldn’t face these problems alone.

Extension Program Coordinator Krista Downing shares that “Fall Feel Good: Farmers Edition” begins this month with five farmers that were nominated to receive a goodie bag full of resources to help promote mental health, “So this is kind of a mental health campaign that our office created. Throughout the month of October we will be focusing on raising this awareness of mental health, trying to end the stigma, and making sure that the farmers have the resources they need to get through a challenging time.”

The bags will be delivered to the five farmers, who will then each get to nominate two more farmers to receive a bag, and so on until 100 bags are given out. Downing says she hopes this program will help show peer support through a difficult year.