Check YOUR Engine

Reduce the stigma. Create the conversation.

Maintain the most important piece of equipment on your farm...YOU!

The Purpose

This project serves as an effort to better connect to the rural communities addressing mental health concerns. Agriculturists themselves are the most important asset in the success of their business, but they operate under the daily challenges and pressure that comes with a life in agriculture. Agriculturists are wired in a unique way, different from most. Their extreme focus on tending to their farm, livestock, crops, equipment and products typically prevents them from focusing on their most important piece of equipment - themselves.

If a check engine light comes on the dash of a tractor or farm vehicle, it’s time to get it to the shop to diagnose the issue. It could be a common solution that will take minutes to fix, or the machine could be on the brink of a total engine failure. Either way, the check engine light lets us know something is wrong and it needs to be addressed. What are the signs that THE FARMER needs the same kind of tune-up? How severe could some of these issues be? The Check Engine - Mental Health Project trains

The Process

Field services providers are those who interact with agriculturists on a weekly basis while on the job. Over time, it is natural to get to know farmers' habits and frustrations. Our goal is to make the field service providers aware of the signs of stress and to listen for some of the key phrases that might be said by someone in need. Additionally, they will have local contact numbers should they need to speak to someone directly. The field service provider is not expected to be the counselor or mental health professional. Rather, the “eyes and ears” for those who are secretly struggling in the agriculture community.