The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announces the official launch of the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia to provide the Commonwealth’s agricultural producers with mental health support. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has interpretation services for 160 languages. Farmers can call or text 833-897-2474 to speak directly with a healthcare professional. Crisis specialists have access to a Virginia specific curated database of agricultural and health resources.

“The physical demands of farming, isolation, weather variability, fluctuating input cost and commodity prices can all impact mental health. Stigma and privacy concerns associated with obtaining mental health services may cause some producers to refuse to seek out these very important resources,” said Matthew Lohr, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. “The AgriStress Helpline for Virginia is specifically geared to those in the state’s agricultural community who are seeking mental health support. A call or text to 833-897-2474 will put them in contact with trained professionals who can offer support and/or help find mental health resources in a specific area of the state.”

VDACS partnered with AgriSafe to launch the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia, which is supported by grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. VDACS received $500,000 in funding which will support a wide range of agricultural stress programming in addition to the AgriStress Helpline for Virginia. AgriSafe is a national 501c3 organization representing health and safety professionals who strive to reduce health disparities in the agricultural community.

“I am pleased that through our partnership with AgriSafe, we have a dedicated helpline for Virginia agricultural producers. In addition to being a free, confidential resource, this new helpline aids our efforts to promote mental health and stress awareness and broaden the availability of resources to reduce stress points in rural Virginia,” said Joseph Guthrie, Commissioner of VDACS. “Anyone who considers themselves part of Virginia’s agricultural community is encouraged to call or text 833-897-2474 any time they are in crisis. The helpline is staffed by mental health professionals who are trained to respond appropriately and specifically to agricultural communities with Virginia specific resources.”

In addition to the new helpline, VDACS is also collaborating with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Tech, AgrAbility Virginia, FARMVA, and other industry organizations, to offer trainings and other services to destigmatize and recognize the critical issue of stress among Virginia farmers.

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) and the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) encourage landowners to make plans – now – for passing on their land to the next generation. The Generation NEXT program, a collaboration between VDOF and VCE, helps Virginia landowners make plans to keep forests intact, in forest, and in family.

To help landowners get started and clarify misconceptions about the legacy planning process, the Generation NEXT Program is hosting in-person and virtual workshops this summer and fall. The workshops, which will take place in South Boston, Galax and New Kent, serve as opportunities for family members to ask difficult questions, receive useful information, and get on the same page about their plans for the future.

Typically, these sessions are only in-person, but a virtual workshop has been added so dispersed families can also take advantage of these helpful resources and tools that make the planning process more accessible and manageable.

Workshop Information

Families pay a single fee to participate. Registration opens up six weeks prior to each workshop. Visit the VCE website for more information.

In-person:

• South Boston – Aug. 26-27
• Galax – Oct. 27
• New Kent County – Nov. 2

Virtual: (All virtual workshops take place from 3 to 5 p.m.)

• Sept. 7
• Sept. 8
• Sept. 14
• Sept. 15

“Many landowners are overwhelmed by the legacy planning process and assume that it primarily involves complicated estate planning with attorneys and accountants,” said VDOF Forestland Conservation Program Manager Karl Didier.  “The Generation NEXT program helps to ease estate planning and demonstrates how it’s just one part of the legacy planning process. Legacy planning is an ongoing process. Much like a forest changes over time, your plans will evolve. As priorities change or family dynamics shift, so should plans for your land.”

“One of the most important steps in legacy planning includes conversations between the landowner and the people who will steward their land after they’re gone,” said Generation NEXT Program Coordinator Karen Snape. “When unforeseen events occur before clearly established plans for your estate and land can be put in place, things can quickly become complicated for surviving family members. Having these conversations now is critical.”

A companion to the workshop series, the award-winning Legacy Planning: A Guide for Virginia Landowners publication, provides an overview of the nine major steps involved in developing a robust land legacy plan. It includes case studies from landowners throughout Virginia and guides landowners to tools and resources. The free publication is available on the Virginia Tech website or in print by request.