A farmer grabs a pear out of a bin for harvest in Monitor on July 31.
Alma Torres Jones started her journey in agriculture traveling state to state with her parents, who were migrant workers. Eventually, her parents started their own farm in the Okanagan Valley, growing apples, pears, and cherries.
But now, Jones says the work that once felt rewarding has become exhausting, squeezed by high labor costs, unpredictable weather, and shrinking profits. To find solutions to combat stress, the Washington State Department of Agriculture released a report that outlines recommendations for addressing farmer stress.
"Being a farmer is very stressful. You can have a great crop and in 20 minutes you can have absolutely nothing," Jones said, recalling a 2022 hailstorm that wiped out her apples.
Many growers in Washington state are combating mental health in a tight market. A report by the Washington State Department of Agriculture found farmers and farmworkers in Washington face a higher risk of suicide than the state's general population.
According to the report, Washington's suicide rate has exceeded the national average for two decades and agricultural suicides are 25% higher than the overall state rate. Economic pressures, long hours, social isolation and rising costs are among the factors putting unprecedented stress on farm families.
Don McMoran, a fourth-generation farmer who now works at Washington State University Skagit County Extension, said low commodity prices, rising input costs and regulatory burdens are pushing producers to the breaking point. He was one of the members who worked on the report. For this report, he spoke to farmers across the state and heard many different answers.
"Farmers are asking, 'What can I grow that will actually make money?" McMoran said. "This is about taking care of the people who take care of us. We need to make sure farmers and farmworkers know they're not alone."
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, farm production expenses have increased annually. The average cost for operation in 2023 was $144,323 -- 462% higher than the national average.
Jones said she knows many farmers who are in debt or are just trying to break even. She said planting crops doesn't make that much of a profit. U.S. farm production has reached record highs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the total costs paid by farmers to raise crops and care for livestock increased by more than $100 billion in 2023.
At the center of Jones' work is protecting her family legacy, which is difficult, she says.
"My dad and my mom in the family worked hard to get where they are now so I want to keep it going," Jones said. "It's a legacy. Not only is our livelihood on the line, it's also the employees' livelihood. I'm not doing it for the money."
The state currently has a partnership among WSDA and the Department of Health and Washington State University Extension. The program offers free counseling vouchers, financial technical assistance and peer-support training. According to the report, farm families cut costs as a reason for not seeking help, and about 60% say stigma and embarrassment keep them from pursuing mental health services.
Jones said she knows many growers and farmworkers who don't talk about the issues they face and see firsthand, and how that impacts their well-being.
"Many older growers and those in the Hispanic community avoid talking about stress or seeking help. I hope these programs encourage farmers to shed that stigma and take advantage of resources," Jones said.
Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, who helped secure $250,000 in state funding to convene the work group that produced the report, said the findings underscore the urgency of the issue. The crisis is deeply personal for Dent, his family had farm-related suicide decades ago.
"Suicide doesn't just take one life," Dent said. "The person's pain ends, but it haunts everyone left behind."
The findings point to several pressure points: volatile prices for crops and livestock, rising input costs that farmers can't control, state labor and overtime rules, and a regulatory system Dent describes as "crushing." Social isolation also plays a role, as long hours leave little time for community life.
Dent said the 988 hotline needs changes to better serve rural callers. Callers are routed based on the area code of their phone number, not their location, and menu options do not reflect agricultural needs.
The report recommends integrating Washington's 988 suicide prevention line with the AgriStress Response hotline to ensure farmers can connect quickly with people who understand agricultural life. Other proposals include expanding awareness campaigns, creating one-stop support centers for legal and financial aid, providing suicide-prevention training for agricultural professionals and establishing grants to study the impact of state and federal regulations on farm operations.
The work group that produced the report initially considered creating a separate crisis hotline for farmers but shifted focus to improving the 988 line. Dent wants bilingual staff, simpler menu options and "warm handoffs" to local help.
"If you're in a crisis, the last thing you want is to press one for this or two for that," Dent said. "We need a human being who understands agriculture to pick up the phone."
Some recommendations, like suicide-prevention training and community meetings, require no new laws. Others, such as regulatory reform and financial relief, will need legislative or federal action. Dent said he plans to pursue legislation expanding WSU Extension's outreach and push for changes to lighten farmers' regulatory loads.
For people in the working group, including Dent and McMoran, they plan to propose legislative action in Olympia in 2026. They both hope to address the challenges that many Washington farmers face.
"This is about taking care of the people who feed us," Dent said. "If we can prevent even one suicide, it's worth every bit of effort. It's a big circle, we take care of them, they take care of us."
Reneé Diaz may be contacted at [email protected]. Collaborative reporting by The Wenatchee World, NWPB and Murrow College of Communication Newsroom Fellowship.