Montana farmers are facing a new, life-threatening crisis: 'It was extremely frightening'

For Montana farmers, warming global temperatures are putting their farms — and mental health — at risk.

What's happening?

Over the past few years, Missoula-area organic farmer Elan Love has faced a barrage of climate-related assaults to his farm, including a severe grasshopper infestation, drought, extreme hail, record-low temperatures, and scorching surface soil temperatures that had his garlic "literally cooking," the Billings Gazette reported.

Then, in 2023, the River Road East Fire, fueled by hot winds and dry grass, burned 17,000 of his 20,000 acres.

"It was extremely frightening," Love told the Gazette. "There was nothing between us and the fire, except for ... dry grass."

All of this has had an impact on his mental health, and he's not alone. The Gazette cited a 2020 study, which found that three-quarters of Montana farmers and ranchers surveyed believe that an overheating planet is negatively impacting the profitability of their agricultural businesses and driving high levels of stress and anxiety.

Yet a tough "pull up your bootstraps" attitude among many people in the agricultural community, paired with a lack of resources, remain hurdles in addressing these mental health concerns, the publication explained.

Why is worsening mental health a concern for farmers?

According to the Gazette, Montana leads the nation in per-capita suicide rates. Male farmers and ranchers are particularly vulnerable, with a suicide rate of 49.9 per 100,000. The publication asserted that this is the second-highest among any occupation in the country.

Meanwhile, climate threats in the agricultural sector are expected to worsen in the coming years — and it's not just Montanans who will be affected.

For instance, one recent study predicted agricultural productivity will drop significantly by the end of the century as farmers face hotter conditions. The researchers say agricultural labor productivity could drop below 40% of full work capacity by the end of the century in countries like Pakistan and India and to 70% in other important regions in Southeast and South Asia, West and Central Africa, and northern South America.

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For Montana agriculturalists, it's about more than just weather, however. The state also suffers high rates of alcohol use, poverty, and access to firearms, the Gazette explained. The publication also pointed to vitamin D deficiency caused by long, dark winters and high altitude as risk factors for suicide. Plus, the state's rural status makes it hard for people to access mental health resources.

What's being done to safeguard farmers against worsening weather and mental health concerns? 

According to the Gazette, Montana received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to try to tackle its mental health crisis. The state funded a public outreach campaign called Beyond the Weather, which sought to incorporate mental health into everyday agricultural conversation. The grant also funded community-based workshops and free mental health services via telehealth for farmers and ranchers. However, the grant funding has run out, and the state is left to find a more permanent solution.

For his part, Love is in therapy and has changed how he grows by focusing on crops that are grasshopper-resistant, fast-growing, cold-hearty, and drought-tolerant, among other adaptations.

To that end, scientists are working to create plants that are more climate-resilient so that farmers can be better equipped for unpredictable weather conditions. For instance, researchers have developed a way to create "heat-resistant" plants. Plus, a team in Japan says that soaking plants in ethanol could help protect them from a drought.

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