S-2599 : Still Just a Bill

Seeding Rural Resilience Act

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a public service announcement campaign to address the mental health of farmers and ranchers, including television, radio, print, outdoor, and digital public service announcements.

Additionally, USDA must

• establish a voluntary program to train employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the management of stress experienced by farmers and ranchers, including the detection of stress and suicide prevention; and
• convene a task force of agricultural and rural stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels to assess the causes of mental stress in farmers and ranchers and identify best practices for responding to such stress.