On the heels of years of stress-inducing challenges, Hawaii’s farmers and ranchers are entering an uncertain 2023, and new research suggests it’s taking a toll on their mental health.

A recent University of Hawaii study found that among farmers age 45 and younger, nearly half, 48%, have experienced depression, and 14% struggled with suicidal thoughts — almost two times higher than Hawaii’s general population.

The study, conducted by researchers with the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, is part of wider federal program focusing on farmers’ mental health across the United States.

“Hawaii is very unique and different from the mainland because we’ve got such a diversity, we have small farmers, vast different commodity groups in Hawaii with many different ethnic groups in many niches,” said Thao Le, who serves as chair of CTAHR’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and project director for “Seeds of Wellbeing,” a program aimed at reducing the stigma around discussing mental health in agricultural communities.

Among the challenges visiting Hawaii’s farms and ranches in recent years: droughts straining the environment, invasive species ravaging crops and COVID-19 disrupting supply chains of needed material and equipment. Also, in 2022 the war in Ukraine brought new disruptions such as a rising costs for some fertilizers and other materials.

Hawaii is included in the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, which was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the 1980s farm crisis — amid a surge in suicides among farmworkers. In addition to funding from that program, in 2021 the state Department of Agriculture received funds through a grant from the federal Farmer Stress Assistance Program, part of which was allocated for the UH survey of 408 agricultural workers across the islands. Previously, there had not been a such survey in Hawaii.

“In Hawaii … we had no baseline about what is the mental health status of our producers,” said Le. “Is it the same or is it different than what has been shown on the mainland? Because all the research today on the mental health of farmers has been pretty much on the mainland, we had nothing.”

Le said while the survey’s scope was limited and more research needs to be done, it captured a broad sampling of Hawaii’s diverse agricultural community. Participants, ranging in age from 18 to 90, were about evenly split between men and women. They represented a large assortment of backgrounds and had held jobs in various parts of the industry. There are an estimated 7,300 farmers in Hawaii, with about 2,000 clearing at least $50,000 in annual revenue.

Younger farmers, as well as those of East Asian and Southeast Asian descent, were more likely to report feelings of depression and suicidal ideation. But Le said that while younger farmworkers were more likely to be open about the stress they’re experiencing, she suspects older Hawaii farmers and ranchers might face similar challenges that they’re not willing to discuss.

“We’re developing resources to help our local producers manage stress, but at the same time, mental health is so stigmatized,” she said. “People are so sick of hearing about mental health, like, who doesn’t have a mental health issue these days?”

The survey built on ongoing grassroots efforts to start conversations around mental health in Hawaii’s agricultural communities. In 2019, Maui farmer Reba Lopez, 34, set up a tent at a convention that she described to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser as “a safe space for farmers to just meet and talk.” A member of the board of directors of the Hawaii Farmers Union, Lopez applied for a grant from WRASAP for the union to expand those efforts.

Most farmers in Hawaii, Lopez said, “would just talk about profit, yield, soil health, plant health, but they never talked about their mental health. It’s kind of taboo.”

Le said studies conducted on the mainland found agricultural workers tended to report being hesitant to seek help from mental health professionals, instead turning to family members or religious figures. In that way Hawaii is similar. But Le and some farmers see an opportunity for change. Lopez has teamed up with Le and works with Seeds of Well- being through its mentor program, which trains farmers on how to talk about mental health resources and make referrals.

“What I’m excited about is capitalizing on Hawaii’s culture of ohana,” said Le, “so that we can build our ag community so that everyone has the skills to be able to assess and detect if somebody is going through a mental health challenge, and know how to approach and have that conversation and what to say.”

Lopez said, “It’s a unique position for Hawaii, and farmers, to have people who are already in the industry coming in and making mental health not such a taboo.” She added, “Creating the mentors is different from how people are dealing with it on the mainland, and I think it could really effect change here.”

In the islands there’s an ongoing revival of interest in Hawaii’s agricultural history, with the popularity of palaka print clothing and fabric and a renewed interest in local crops and dishes. A UH survey of Hawaii residents found 83% see agriculture as important to the state, and 56% said they were willing to spend more on local produce. Even so, 85% to 90% of food in Hawaii is imported, and less than 1% of the state budget is devoted to agricultural programs.

“We can say that people want it,” said Lopez. “But then the government doesn’t listen, and they don’t give half a percent of their budget to agriculture — and they’re focusing on contracts and regulations that help big agriculture.”

The price tag tied to farming is particularly daunting for aspiring younger farmers drawn to the allure of making a living off the land.

Land in Hawaii — either for sale or lease — is expensive, and unless a new farmer comes from a family that already has land or wealth to buy it, entry into the field can be costly as well as risky. In addition to striving for a successful growing season, farmers also need advertising know-how. For many in Hawaii, access to major stores here — let alone export options — seem out of reach. Many rely on farmers markets and roadside sales to make a living.

What’s more, after months of raising crops or livestock with an uncertain payout, failure can prove to be financially ruinous.

“These issues lead into mental health issues because young people are faced with wanting to be successful and wanting to make their family proud or choose a career that makes them happy,” said Lopez, who has been farming for eight years and is married to a third-generation farmer. “They see the ideals of farming and the lifestyle that they would want, but they can’t make money at it.”

Additionally, the impacts of climate change weigh heavily on farmers in the islands as their future likely includes drought forecasts and increasing strain on water supplies.

“Say you got 75 inches of rain last year, and now you’re only getting 70,” said Lopez. “For me, that’s exactly what’s happening, and I live in a wet part of Maui — Haiku — where I’m on water catchment and I’m constantly worried about my water. And if it’s drought for three months straight, that’s new to me, and it’s just changing your whole practices.”

These challenges weigh on younger farmers, and many quit within five years. Le said the phenomenon, which is not limited to Hawaii, has been referred to as the “graying of agriculture” as established farmers grow older and “age out” of the job.

Given Hawaii’s heavy dependence on “big agriculture” and imported food, Lopez said, “We are basically just shooting ourselves in the foot if we can’t support young people choosing this career.”

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Farmers age 45 and younger

48%

Experienced depression

14%

Struggled with suicidal thoughts

Source: University of Hawaii