Beauregard Parish Farm Bureau President David Smith has spent a lifetime around agriculture. Today, he grows corn, soybeans, wheat and other crops near DeRidder, while also serving on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation state board and the Cultivating Connection Mental Health Committee.

In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Smith joins us from the field to talk about the weight farmers carry during tough economic times, unpredictable weather and the pressure of keeping a family farm going for the next generation. He reflects on growing up during the farm crisis of the 1980s, watching his father carry the stress of farming, and how those same pressures show up in different ways today.

Smith says farmers are often “fixers,” but that does not mean they have to carry everything alone. His message is simple: check on each other, listen, and do not be afraid to talk about what is really going on. This conversation is part of Louisiana Farm Bureau’s Cultivating Connection effort, encouraging farmers, ranchers and rural communities to have honest conversations about stress, mental health and the importance of staying connected.

• Listen to David's last episode on the podcast here.
• Louisiana Farm Bureau's Cultivating Connection website with mental health resources.
• American Farm Bureau's Farm State of Mind website
• Find a Louisiana Farm Bureau office in your parish here.
• Become a member of Louisiana Farm Bureau today.

In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Allie Shipley sits down with Courtney Gerace to talk about mental health in agriculture and the personal journey that led her to help launch Louisiana Farm Bureau’s new initiative, Cultivating Connection. Gerace shares her own experience with anxiety and depression, explains why farm life can intensify stress and isolation, and discusses how this effort hopes to connect people with resources and encourage honest conversations across rural Louisiana.

• Louisiana Farm Bureau's Cultivating Connection website with mental health resources.
• American Farm Bureau's Farm State of Mind website
• Find a Louisiana Farm Bureau office in your parish here.
• Become a member of Louisiana Farm Bureau today.

Jamie and Aaron Lee of Vermilion Parish join the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast to talk about how Young Farmers & Ranchers helped shape their path in agriculture and leadership. They share how Farm Bureau gave them confidence, connections, and encouragement to grow as farmers, advocates, and volunteers. From parish involvement to leadership at the state level, their story is a reminder that sometimes simply showing up can change everything.

• See a story about Aaron & Jamie as YF&R Achievement Award finalists here.
• Learn more about Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers here
• Find a Louisiana Farm Bureau office in your parish here.
• Become a member of Louisiana Farm Bureau today.