Agricultural workers take care of the animals and grow and harvest the food that feeds the world.  This work is physically and mentally exhausting, yet too often, you may find yourself pushing your own needs aside to make sure the job gets done.

In this article:

  • Who are agricultural workers?
  • The physical toll of farm work
  • The mental health toll of farm work
  • Why agricultural workers often do not ask for help
  • How to take care of yourself
  • Resources for extra help

Key points

Agricultural work is demanding: This work can come with physical and mental health challenges, including stress, loneliness, isolation, and risks from long hours, manual labor, and other farm conditions.

Barriers to care are significant: Many workers avoid seeking help due to cultural values around toughness, time constraints, language barriers, and insurance coverage.

Support is available: There are organizations that offer safe, free, and confidential resources for health, housing, and other farmworker needs.

Who are agricultural workers?

There are approximately 2.2 million people who work in the United States agriculture industry. Many are seasonal workers who work on farms during busy seasons like calving, planting, or harvest. Others are migrant workers who travel across the country throughout the year for seasonal work.

If you are a migrant or seasonal agricultural worker (MSAW), your work brings unique challenges. Moving frequently or working long, back-to-back shifts often means long periods of time away from family, limited access to health care, and little time for rest. In addition to those challenges, the work you do is physically demanding.

The physical toll of farm work

Farm work involves more lifting, hauling, pushing, and bending than most people will ever have to do. It is hard on the body, and the effects of that kind of work add up. Here are some of the challenges you may face every day:

  • Long hours in the heat and elements. You might spend 10 or more hours a day outside in heat, cold, or rain. Problems such as dehydration and heat stroke are among the most common health risks in this type of work.
  • Heavy lifting and repetitive motion. Picking, hauling, and carrying heavy loads can lead to back injuries, joint pain, and muscle problems that build up over time.
  • Dangerous machinery. Agricultural work involves equipment that can cause serious injuries if something goes wrong, even for experienced workers. The risk of accidents on the job increases if you’re overly tired from long hours and little sleep.
  • Exposure to pesticides and fertilizers. Contact with these chemicals can cause skin rashes, breathing problems, and other health issues — some of which may take years to show up.
  • Pressure to keep working through pain. Even when you are sick or hurt, you may feel pressured to continue working so you can provide for your family. Over time, pushing through sickness and pain can lead to self-medicating or misusing substances like alcohol or prescription drugs. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone — read more about stress and substance use among farm workers.

The mental health toll of farm work

The strain of farm work isn’t just physical. Mental and physical health are closely connected, and the demands of farm work can also affect emotional well-being.

  • Money stress. Worrying about paying rent, sending money home, or making it through the off-season can cause constant anxiety.
  • Long hours with few breaks. When there is no time for rest or leisure activities, stress builds up fast.
  • Missing family. Being away from your loved ones, especially if you have children, can lead to sadness and loneliness.
  • Isolation. If you live in farm-provided housing, you might feel cut off from life outside of the farm. There is also often little privacy, which can add another layer of stress.
  • Language barriers. If someone does not speak your native language in the area where you are working, tasks like going to a store or calling a doctor can be frustrating and increase feelings of loneliness or isolation.
  • Fear of immigration enforcement. Many workers are afraid that seeking medical care or asking for help could put them or their family at risk of an encounter with immigration authorities, even if they are here legally. This fear can keep people from getting the care they need and deserve.

Stress, loneliness, fear, and exhaustion can add up. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles.

Why agricultural workers often do not ask for help

Even when workers are struggling, many do not reach out. Here is why:

  • Cultural values around toughness. Many people are raised with the expectation that they should handle problems on their own. You work hard, you do not complain, and you push through. That mindset keeps a lot of people going, but it can also make it challenging to ask for help.
  • Stigma. There is often a feeling that struggling is just part of the nature of farm work. When everyone around you is dealing with the same long hours and hard conditions, it can be easy to tell yourself that you should just be able to handle it. Misperceptions that mental health struggles are a personal weakness or character flaw can add shame to the difficulties you’re already facing.
  • Not enough services nearby. Rural areas often have fewer doctors, clinics, and mental health providers, and the providers they do have may be far away or have limited appointment availability.
  • Language barriers. If you do not speak English as your first language, trying to explain what you are going through to a provider who does not speak your preferred language can make it even harder to get help.
  • Immigration fears. Worry about legal status stops many people from seeking care.
  • No time. During busy seasons, there is barely time to take care of the basics like having meals and getting rest, let alone visiting a doctor.
  • No health insurance. Many agricultural workers do not have health insurance coverage, making care feel out of reach.

These challenges are real. If this sounds like your experience, remember that you are not alone, and there are things you can do to help yourself.

How to take care of yourself

Things you can do

  • Take breaks when you can. Even a short rest in the shade with water makes a difference. Protect yourself from heat, cold, and rain when possible.
  • Check in with your coworkers. You may not be the only one struggling. Looking out for each other matters.
  • Stay in touch with family. A regular call or message home (even a short one) can help you feel less lonely and keep you connected.
  • Know your rights. Carry a Know Your Rights card or a Red Card, so you know what to do if you are ever stopped or questioned. Having this information on hand means not having to figure things out in the moment and can help you feel more prepared and less worried.
  • Seek care when you need it. Do not wait until a small problem becomes a big one. If you are not sure where to start, take a free, private mental health test at mhascreening.org. It takes just a few minutes and can help you figure out what you are feeling and what to do next.

Check out MHA’s Rural Mental Health Resource Center for more information and
resources to help with your mental health.

Resources for extra help

If you are struggling, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and you don’t have to do everything on your own. These organizations understand the lives of agricultural workers and can help you find support:

If you are in crisis and need immediate help, text or call 988. Trained counselors are available 24/7.