The Executive Director of the Do More Agriculture Foundation has been active on the grounds of Ag in Motion this week.
Merle Massie has had conversations with exhibitors and farmers about mental health in agriculture, a topic she says has been getting a little bit easier to talk about.
"Yeah, they are. What we do know, though, is that there's still, there remains a lot of stigma." Massie said, noting one conversation she had with someone who said their husband decided to take a week off from farming, but didn't want to mention it to family members.
"And she said, well, just tell your sisters that, you know, you're going to take a week off for your mental health. He's like, I'm not mental, right? I'm not going to say that because I'm not mental." Massie recalled from the conversation.
She said taking a break and doing something fun on your farm is really important for one's mental health.
Massie is also promoting Do More Ag's podcast called "Hey, are we okay?" at Ag in Motion.
Launched in October of 2025, the podcast profiles what communities are doing to raise the profile of mental health in their community.
Part of the podcast includes a segment called "Fun on the Farm". As the name suggests, it encourages people to submit a voice note to Do More Ag on what they do for fun while on the farm.
She cited one example of farm kids using pasture land as a dirt bike trail.
"He was telling me all about it. And I said, so what do the cows think of that, you know, in the pasture? Well, sometimes they wreck it. But I have to go and fix it. But it was hilarious. It was a great story." Massie remembered.
There are eight episodes in total for season one with season two of the podcast to premiere in September, she said.
"We've already got a number of great episodes in the can, and we're so looking forward to sharing those stories."
