U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Announces Increased Federal Funding to Provide Farmers with Mental Health Resources and Services
Senate appropriations bill will provide $8 million for Baldwin’s FARMERS FIRST Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced increased federal funding to provide our nation’s farmers with critical support and mental health resources.
Senator Baldwin’s FARMERS FIRST Act, introduced with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), was included in the 2018 Farm Bill, which passed the Senate last year. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Baldwin worked to pass an amendment last week to a Senate appropriations bill that will provide $8 million, an increase of $6 million from Fiscal Year 2019, for the bipartisan legislation.
“I worked across party lines to include the FARMERS FIRST Act in the Farm Bill and now I’ve worked across the aisle to increase funding for it because we need to help our farmers when they are dealing with stressful times. Our Wisconsin farmers are facing many difficult challenges and we all need to work together to provide them the support they need, including more funding for local mental health resources,” said Senator Baldwin.
Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that farmers and other individuals who work in agriculture experience a high rate of suicide. Senator Baldwin’s Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions for Immediate Response to Stressful Times (FARMERS FIRST) Act provides funding for local mental health resources to expand access to stress reduction strategies and suicide prevention programs for people who work in agriculture. Baldwin’s reform provides competitive grant funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to state departments of agriculture, state extension services, non-profits and tribes to establish helplines and websites, provide suicide prevention training for farm advocates, create support groups and reestablish the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN).
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Baldwin Announces Over $13 Million for Broadband Expansion in Wisconsin
Nov 1st, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinFunding builds on $1 billion Baldwin secured for internet expansion in Wisconsin
Baldwin Delivers Nearly $450,000 to Lower Prices at the Pump in Northwest Wisconsin
Oct 29th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBaldwin-backed funding will expand access to clean biofuels
Baldwin Announces Nearly $73 Million for Milwaukee Rail Project
Oct 28th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy BaldwinBaldwin-championed project needed for more Milwaukee-Chicago passenger rail trips and boosting freight capacity