Trouble on the Farm: Suicide Rates Within Farming Communities in the Mid-Western United States

Trouble on the Farm: Suicide Rates Within Farming Communities in the Mid-Western United States

GEOG-220 Final Project

It is no secret how important the agricultural industry is to America. In a monetary sense, it has been a staple part of the U.S. economy since its colonial beginnings, and today contributes 5.5% of our total GDP. Socially, farming encapsulates iconic American values, like hard work, a strong morality, a family centered lifestyle and a purposeful life. However, it is by no means an easy profession, farmers experience unique stressors compared to the rest of the work force. They have to navigate a very complex market, and handle things which are out of their control like bad weather among other issues. This couples with long standing struggles of high costs, low prices for their crops and a culture of fierce individualism has resulted in a mental health crisis among farmers. Farmers are 3 times for likely to take their own life compared to the rest of the working population, and in recent years their struggles have only worsened due to ongoing newly imposed tariffs and trade wars implemented by the Trump administration.

Auwaerter, Robin

Fall 2025

Poster

GEOG-220

Cartography Spa Data Vis/GIS

Curri, Neil

Complete

Fall 2025