The Farmers First Act of 2025 significantly increases funding and mandates crisis line support for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network while formalizing referral options to comprehensive healthcare providers for farmers and ranchers.
Randy Feenstra
Representative
IA-4
The Farmers First Act of 2025 significantly strengthens support for agricultural producers by enhancing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. This legislation increases annual funding for the network and mandates the inclusion of dedicated crisis lines within supported programs. Furthermore, it formalizes partnerships between grant recipients and various healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive access to mental health and substance use treatment for farmers and ranchers.
Farmers First Act Boosts Farm Mental Health Funding by 50%, Mandates Crisis Hotlines
The Farmers First Act of 2025 is focused on strengthening mental health support for the agricultural community. At its core, this section of the bill significantly increases funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, jumping the annual allocation from $10 million to $15 million starting in fiscal year 2026 and running through 2030. This 50% funding boost is a clear signal that lawmakers recognize the intense pressures facing farmers and ranchers today.
The Crisis Line Mandate
One of the most practical changes in this bill is the requirement that organizations receiving grants under the network must now specifically include and support crisis lines as part of their programs (Sec. 2). This isn't just about offering workshops or general counseling; it’s about ensuring there is immediate, 24/7 help available when someone is in serious distress. For a farmer struggling with a bad harvest or crushing debt, knowing a direct crisis line is available—and funded—can be a lifeline, cutting through the red tape when seconds count.
Formalizing the Referral Network
The bill also cleans up and formalizes how people get connected to long-term care. Previously, referral methods might have been loose, but the new rules allow grant recipients to set up formal partnerships to link farmers and ranchers to counseling, wellness support, and substance use treatment (Sec. 2). These partnerships must be with established, qualified healthcare providers like Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, Rural Health Clinics, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Think of it like this: instead of handing someone a list of therapists and saying "good luck," the network is now empowered to build direct, official bridges to healthcare providers who are already set up to deliver comprehensive care. This means less friction and a better chance that a struggling individual actually follows through and gets the help they need. For rural clinics, this could also mean a new, reliable source of patients and funding, strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in areas that often need it most.