CareSource, a nonprofit, mission-driven managed care organization, along with Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA), today announced a $100,000 investment to expand farmer mental health support in Georgia.  

The investment, announced during the Georgia National Fair, will fund expanded programming through the GFA, Georgia Farm Bureau Networks and the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance (GAWA) by supporting programs that deliver peer support, youth-focused wellness pilots and community leader training designed to meet the unique mental health challenges facing farmers. 

“Georgia farmers feed our families and fuel the state’s economy, yet their own health and well-being are too often overlooked,” said Jason Anavitarte, senior director of strategic community partnerships and account management, CareSource Georgia. “Through this investment, CareSource aims to ensure every farmer has access to the care and resources they need to thrive.” 

Georgia farmers face some of the highest levels of stress and isolation in the nation. A statewide survey by the GFA, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center and Mercer University School of Medicine found that 42% of farmers reported suicidal thoughts in the past year, while more than 60% of first-generation farmers said they had considered suicide. Nearly 60% of farmers reported lacking access to basic medical care, and most said they could not access a psychologist either in-person or virtually. 

Following the survey findings, the GFA led a coordinated effort to build long-term support systems for farmers' mental health. 

“The mental health challenges farmers face are real and urgent, but with partners like CareSource, we’re building a stronger safety net for Georgia’s agricultural community,” said Lily Rolader Baucom, GFA executive director. “This partnership is part of a broader strategy to embed care into the daily fabric of Georgia’s farming communities. By equipping trusted peers with tools they can use immediately, this partnership is helping ensure farmers have reliable support wherever they are.” 

CareSource’s $100,000 investment will support GFA to: 

• Train hundreds of community leaders across Georgia in partnership with GAWA 

• Launch Georgia’s first youth-focused mental wellness training pilots in agriculture 

• Build a stronger statewide safety net through trusted, local peer networks 

• Equip counties to innovate while staying connected to a unified, data-backed strategy 

“We need all hands on deck to increase access to quality mental health care for our farm families and Rural Georgians,” said Tyler Harper, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture. “This collaboration shows what’s possible when Georgia’s agricultural community unites around a common goal. By transforming research into real world programs and infrastructure, Georgia is setting a national standard for agricultural mental health and creating a model other states can follow.” 

“Farmers are the heart of our communities, and their resilience is what keeps Georgia agriculture strong,” said Senator Larry Walker. “This partnership that invests in the mental health and well-being of our farmers will help strengthen the future of agriculture and rural communities across our state.” 

Although farmers continue to navigate financial uncertainty, climate-related disasters and isolation, Georgia’s farm stress response has grown from a small coalition into a statewide movement to meet these needs. CareSource’s investment will help to further scale the work of GAWA and GFA to reduce stigma and increase access to mental health resources for farmers.  

“Farm families face enormous pressures, from financial stress to weather, and too often that burden takes a toll on their mental health,” said Tom McCall, president, Georgia Farm Bureau. “Thanks to CareSource’s commitment, we can continue to build a strong, trusted network to ensure no farmer has to face these challenges alone.” 

CareSource previously contributed $40,000 to the GFA to aid farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene. This support helped fund the Weathered But Strong: Georgia Hurricane Relief Fund, providing essential financial assistance to family-owned and multi-generational farms affected by the hurricane.