7 U.S. Code § 5936 - Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

(a) In general

The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall make competitive grants to eligible entities described in subsection (c) to establish a Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network that provides stress assistance programs to individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations.

(b) Eligible programs

Grants awarded under subsection (a) may be used—

(1) to initiate, expand, or sustain programs that provide professional agricultural behavioral health counseling and referral for other forms of assistance as necessary through—

(A) farm telephone helplines and websites;

(B) training, including training programs and workshops, for—

(i) advocates for individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(ii) other individuals and entities that may assist individuals who—

(I) are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(II) are in crisis;

(C) support groups; and

(D) outreach services and activities, including the dissemination of information and materials; or

(2) to enter into contracts, on a multiyear basis, with community-based, direct-service organizations to initiate, expand, or sustain programs described in paragraph (1) and subsection (a).

(c) Eligible recipients

The Secretary may award a grant under this section to—

(1) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 5304 of title 25);

(2) a State department of agriculture;

(3) a State cooperative extension service;

(4) a qualified nonprofit organization, as determined by the Secretary;

(5) an entity providing appropriate services, as determined by the Secretary, in 1 or more States; or

(6) a partnership carried out by 2 or more entities described in paragraphs (1) through (5).

(d) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(e) Report to Congress

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2018, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit to Congress and any other relevant Federal department or agency, and make publicly available, a report describing the state of behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture.

(2) Contents

The report under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) an inventory and assessment of efforts to support the behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture by—

(i) the Federal Government, States, and units of local government;

(ii) communities comprised of those individuals;

(iii) health care providers;

(iv) State cooperative extension services; and

(v) other appropriate entities, as determined by the Secretary;

(B) a description of the challenges faced by individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture that may impact the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers;

(C) a description of how the Department of Agriculture can improve coordination and cooperation with Federal health departments and agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, to best address the behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture;

(D) a long-term strategy for responding to the challenges described under subparagraph (B) and recommendations based on best practices for further action to be carried out by appropriate Federal departments or agencies to improve Federal Government response and seek to prevent suicide among individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(E) an evaluation of the impact that behavioral and mental health challenges and outcomes (including suicide) among individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture related occupations have on—

(i) the agricultural workforce;

(ii) agricultural production;

(iii) rural families and communities; and

(iv) succession planning.

(f) State defined

For purposes of this section, the term “State” has the meaning given such term in section 3103 of this title.

(Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7522, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1272; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7522, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2033; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7412, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4817.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Section was enacted as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, and not as part of subtitle H of title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 which comprises this subchapter.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(1), substituted “to eligible entities described in subsection (c)” for “to support cooperative programs between State cooperative extension services and nonprofit organizations”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(2)(B), (F), (G), substituted “be used—” for “be used”, inserted par. (1) designation before “to initiate”, redesignated former pars. (1) to (4) as subpars. (A) to (D), respectively, of par. (1), and added par. (2).

Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(2)(C), added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “community education;”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(2)(D), inserted “and” after semicolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(1)(D). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(2)(E), substituted “activities, including the dissemination of information and materials; or” for “activities; and”.

Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(2)(A), struck out par. (5) which read as follows: “home delivery of assistance, in a case in which a farm resident is homebound.”

Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 115–334, § 7412(3), added subsecs. (c) to (f) and struck out former subsecs. (c) and (d) which related to extension services and authorization of appropriations, respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Enactment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 8701 of this title.

Farm and Ranch Mental Health

Pub. L. 116–283, div. H, title C, § 10006, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4866, provided that:

“(a) Public Service Announcement Campaign to Address Farm and Ranch Mental Health.—

“(1) In general.—

The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall carry out a public service announcement campaign to address the mental health of farmers and ranchers.

“(2) Requirements.—

The public service announcement campaign under paragraph (1) shall include television, radio, print, outdoor, and digital public service announcements.

“(3) Contractor.—

“(A) In general.—

The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a contract or other agreement with a third party to carry out the public service announcement campaign under paragraph (1).

“(B) Requirement.—

In awarding a contract under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Agriculture shall use a competitive bidding process.

“(4) Authorization of appropriations.—

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out this subsection $3,000,000, to remain available until expended.

“(b) Employee Training Program to Manage Farmer and Rancher Stress.—

“(1) In general.—

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection [Jan. 1, 2021], the Secretary of Agriculture shall expand the pilot program carried out by the Secretary of Agriculture in fiscal year 2019 that trained employees of the Farm Service Agency in the management of stress experienced by farmers and ranchers, to train employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the management of stress experienced by farmers and ranchers, including the detection of stress and suicide prevention.

“(2) Report.—

Not less frequently than once every 2 years, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the implementation of this subsection.

“(c) Task Force for Assessment of Causes of Mental Stress and Best Practices for Response.—

“(1) In general.—

The Secretary of Agriculture shall convene a task force of agricultural and rural stakeholders at the national, State, and local levels—

“(A) to assess the causes of mental stress in farmers and ranchers; and

“(B) to identify best practices for responding to that mental stress.

“(2) Submission of report.—

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the task force convened under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary of Agriculture a report containing the assessment and best practices under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of paragraph (1).

“(3) Collaboration.—

In carrying out this subsection, the task force convened under paragraph (1) shall collaborate with nongovernmental organizations and State and local agencies.

“(d) Cessation of Authorities.—

Any authorities provided under this section shall cease to be in effect on October 1, 2023.”

Definition of “Secretary”

“Secretary” as meaning the Secretary of Agriculture, see section 8701 of this title.