Cultivating Connection: Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health in Agriculture

By Josh Meeks

Louisiana Farm Bureau News

ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. — On the Gerace family farm, a typical day starts like many others across rural Louisiana.

Courtney Gerace balances the books, keeping the farm’s finances in order. Her husband, Nicholas, works in the shop, making sure equipment is ready to roll. Nearby, their children take a break from homeschooling—trading lessons for fresh air, imagination and the freedom to just be kids.

“There are plenty of days where we're all at the shop, especially if it's a shop day,” Courtney said. “Because not only does that give the kids a break from their school work, but it also allows them to see kind of what dad's day-to-day is like.”

On this day, Nicholas is focused on their planter—fine-tuning it to ensure their soybean crop is evenly spread across the fields. It’s a task that requires precision, patience and constant adjustment.

“Everything’s looking pretty good,” Nicholas said. “Like everybody else, I always want a little bit of rain, but at the same time, dry weather is nice because I get something done. I say it all the time—a farmer’s never happy. It’s either too wet or too dry.”

That constant balancing act—between weather, finances, family and the unknown—is part of daily life in agriculture. But behind the scenes, it can also take a toll.

In her 20s, Courtney realized something wasn’t right.

“I realized, no, this isn’t life,” she said. “This is not what I remember. I don’t feel like myself. I can’t think clearly. I can’t function. I’m not here for my husband and my kids and our farm.”

Courtney was struggling with anxiety and depression—something many in agriculture face but often don’t talk about.

So, she made the decision to seek help.

“Had I not had a supportive network or a medical professional to go to, it would have been a lot harder,” she said.

With the help of a doctor and a strong support system—including her parents and her husband—Courtney began to find her way forward.

Her experience also changed Nicholas’ perspective.

“I was that guy for a long time,” Nicholas said. “Everybody knows how tough farming is right now. So at some point in time, you're going to go through anxiety. You're going to go through the nervousness about getting through the year. There’s no—I don’t believe there’s a right way to deal with it. But I do believe that we can’t do it alone.”

That realization is what inspired Courtney to take action beyond her own family.

She is now launching “Cultivating Connection,” a Louisiana Farm Bureau initiative designed to connect farmers and ranchers with mental health resources and support systems.

“I have had to learn to be humble and not let pride… I’ve had to learn to shift that way of thinking and say, ‘I’m not okay, and I need help,’” Courtney said.

It’s a message the Geraces hope will resonate—not just with their peers, but with the next generation.

That’s why they prioritize time for their children to explore, create and grow—away from screens and into real-life experiences.

“We also understand that it’s important for the kids to be kids,” Courtney said. “For their imaginations to grow, for them to learn how to be thinkers and problem solvers—and not have their immediate response be, ‘Let me Google this.’”

In the shop, those lessons come to life. The kids build, play and imagine—turning scraps into tools and ideas into adventures.

“You see them grab tools from around the shop daily,” Nicholas said. “They’re rolling one another across the shop, running around, just having a good time being kids. Digging holes, climbing on stuff—living a dream.”

It’s a dream he remembers well.

“I farmed 10,000 acres underneath my dad’s shop when I was five years old, with whatever scrap he saw,” he said. “And I love watching my kids do the same thing.”

For the Gerace family, farming is more than a livelihood—it’s a way of life rooted in resilience, connection and growth.

And through “Cultivating Connection,” they hope to remind others in agriculture that even in the toughest seasons, no one has to face those challenges alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or visit lafarmbureau.org/mentalhealth for more resources.