A free two-hour, in-person interactive discussion on mental health and wellness for all MDAR staff and partner organizations in Massachusetts interested in supporting healthy and successful farms. The training is part of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)’s MassGrownWellness (MGW) program. Come together for a discussion and training that is designed for staff and partner organizations who support the Commonwealth’s agricultural community and learn how to help fellow farmers sustain healthy and successful local farms.

Creating a broad understanding and raising awareness about well-being, mental health, and the stressors unique to farmers, farm families, work colleagues, and partner organizations that support the Massachusetts agricultural community is of utmost importance to MDAR and a critical component of their MGW program. Attendees will receive mental health resources developed by MDAR. The training will review critical skills needed to effectively engage farmers in the field and colleagues in the office. MDAR will explore how stressors impact farmers’ mental health and well-being, learn to recognize when a farmer or farm family is stressed, and understand how to start conversations about emotional well-being. MDAR also will discuss best practices for self-care, how to initiate strategies to connect people to support, and model de-escalation and active listening skills as effective tools for people who are not mental health professionals.

To register for the seminar, go to: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/agricultural-community-mental-health-wellness-program-trainings

(Space is limited, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis)