Rural Families Face Stress Due to BSE

Public concern over the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington has shocked those in the beef industry, sent prices dropping and left many farmers and ranchers with a sense of discouragement. A family science specialist at North Dakota State urges them to keep the current situation in perspective.

“Managing risk and making decisions is at the center of how farmers and ranchers operate in today’s agricultural economy,” notes Sean Brotherson of the NDSU Extension Service. “It’s likely that a lot of ranchers are thinking about the long-term consequences of their decisions and feeling some stress due to the BSE case and the drop in prices. It’s natural to feel some discouragement if you see yourself having missed out on an opportunity to generate better income by a different decision.”

But it’s important to keep a perspective on management decisions and remember the ebb and flow of the agricultural marketplace, Brotherson stresses. He notes that farmers and ranchers make dozens of financial and family decisions each week that are important and they need to be careful not to blame themselves for any one decision that creates difficulties.

“Working in agriculture subjects farmers and ranchers to a lot of factors that are beyond their control and the reach of their own decisions,” he says. “Additionally, the agricultural economy is unpredictable and it’s not certain how long prices may be depressed by the BSE controversy.

“We often take a difficult situation and make it more stressful for ourselves by seeing something like the BSE case as catastrophic,” indicates Brotherson. “A rancher may feel inclined to personalize the stress by assuming blame for not selling earlier or by thinking this will be a permanent downturn in the industry. But it’s probably more helpful to take a long-term perspective and work to make sure that some discouragement doesn’t turn into a lasting depression.”

Ideas for handling the frustration or stress that some may be experiencing include talking about your concerns with others who understand, taking time for personal wellness, and actively learning more about the effects of the issue.

“Sharing a problem really helps you think through how to respond to that particular concern, and it also allows others to contribute their advice, encouragement and support when you’re facing challenges,” Brotherson explains. “This type of social support helps people get feedback about how they’re feeling and the communication provides a sense of relief.”

It may also be helpful to take time out to ensure your personal well-being. This can include meaningful time with a spouse or family member, sufficient sleep and exercise, and other avenues to reduce stress.

Also, learning about the impacts of BSE or other such issues can help a person to feel more informed and knowledgeable about their options. “It’s true that gaining knowledge helps a person to feel better about their own decisions,” says Brotherson. “For example, it might be useful to learn how the occurrence of BSE in other countries affected the markets and what farm and ranch families in those locales have done to manage the effects.”

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Source: Sean Brotherson, (701) 231-6143, sbrother@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu