Understanding Farmers During Stressful Times

We are in the middle of a very difficult time for many farmers and ranchers. Emotions are running high. Prices for their products are at near record lows. Recovery is still over the horizon.

Personality characteristics are more pronounced during hard times. This is apparent to local townspeople, lenders, dealers, creditors, clergy, extension agents, neighbors and family members.

What are farmers or ranchers like? What are their strengths? What are their weaknesses? What kinds of things bug them when they are under stress?

Farmers need to know themselves. Others who work with them need to know where farmers are coming from when they deal with them.

 

A typical farmer or rancher personality profile. Most farmers or ranchers and their spouses would agree with this description of themselves: hard worker, conservative decision-maker, practical, orderly, organized, matter-of-fact, realistic, and dependable. They feel a strong sense of duty. They value belonging and contributing. They are patient with routine and detail. Success comes because of their ability to be persistent and conscientious.

Farmers and ranchers focus on the "here and now" problems and expect the future to take care of itself. They have a need to be in control and take control of situations when they can. They trust their own judgment and analysis. They are independent almost to a fault.

 

Some common weaknesses. Every set of strengths has its flip side. The same qualities that serve farmers well in their profession can cause problems for themselves and others close to them. Family members of a farmer or rancher see some of these negative characteristics more than they would like.

Farmers and ranchers take a lot for granted. They are known to be critical, sarcastic or impatient. They tend to overwork while having difficulty with leisure and relaxation. They have a hard time expressing love or appreciation. Because they have high standards of performance, they rarely recognize or comment on the efforts of others unless it is truly exceptional.

Farmers and ranchers tend toward a "doom and gloom" appraisal of the future. They are not generally open to new ideas unless they are practical, realistic and related to his or her current mode of operation. They may not see the significance of changing times, outside forces or new developments.

 

Farmers under stress. What kinds of situations are most stressful for farmers or ranchers with this personality profile? They feel stressed out when:

• their plans are blocked, when things don’t go right, when there are too many deadlines.
• they are confronted with economic uncertainty, when they lack control, when they can’t correct the problem, when the risks are great.
• they don’t have enough work to do.
• they are faced with conflict or confrontation, when there are too many people demands, when they feel misunderstood, when they feel let down by someone.
• they don’t meet their own expectations, when they make a mistake, when they feel like they’ve failed.
• when there is a lack of order or tidiness.
• they feel lonely or unappreciated.

 

So how do other people deal with farmers or ranchers during stressful times? Here are some things to keep in mind.

 

• Be patient. Give them time to think about the problem. Don’t push for an immediate response. Don’t humiliate or embarrass them publicly.

• Be organized. Present information with facts and figures. Get down to specifics. Work out details in advance. Be logical. Be realistic. Be careful in planning.

• Teach by concrete example and by "hands on" experience. Give "how to" advice from trusted authorities.

• Give appreciation and recognition for their outstanding qualities: being responsible, industrious, careful, thorough and accurate. These strengths are often overlooked and unappreciated.

• Don’t take criticism personally. Farmers may think they are stating blunt facts when their remarks are judgmental. There are times when they need to "blow off" steam without being taken too seriously.

• Be faithful and reliable. Do your best to understand them, recognize their efforts and follow through with your commitments to them.

• Reduce risk factors. Farmers are looking for stability and security - a way of getting back in control.

By reading this, can you get a feeling of why farmers and ranchers feel stressed out when the Ag economy goes in a tailspin? The current situation is the very opposite environment in which those with this personality profile do best.