Initiative aims to connect struggling farmers with resources

(Harrisburg) — Dairy farmers are facing uncertain times — with milk prices dropping and dozens of midstate farms losing their distribution contracts.

Agriculture and health care organizations are now working together to shine a light on resources for them.

A series of articles will appear over the next six weeks in a special section of the trade publication Lancaster Farming.

The “AgriCULTURE” section aims to help farmers see past their current situations and create a long-term plan.

It’s the result of collaboration between the state Department of Agriculture, Lancaster County Agriculture Council, the Center for Dairy Excellence, Wellspan Health, and other stakeholders.

Lisa Graybeal, chair of the Lancaster County Agriculture Council and third-generation dairy farmer, says running a farm is hard work, but farmers aren’t seeing it pay off right now.

“It’s hard to swallow sometimes,” she said. “It’s very difficult and it can get you down. It can absolutely get you down.”

Graybeal wrote the first article on financial planning. Future topics will include mental health, stress management, and stories from farmers who have changed their practices to become a more stable operation.

Graybeal says one goal of the series is to encourage farmers to reach out before it’s too late.

“We don’t want to see farmers getting so down–obviously we don’t want to see any suicides, we don’t want to see any farmers waiting until the end to say, ‘there’s nothing else I can do,’ because there are options out there,” she said.