Article from News Center MAINE: COVID brings added stress to disabled Maine farmers already facing winter challenges
By Courtney Lanning
Financial worries, unpredictable weather, and isolation make farming a tough job, but COVID brought a new layer of stress for Maine agriculture workers, especially if they’re disabled.
“Farming can be stressful even in the best of times,” Leilani Carlson, Maine AgrAbility coordinator at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, said.
When those issues compound with existing physical or emotional barriers in the industry, anxiety and stress levels increase, according to Carlson.
“Without supports, this stress can lead to depression and additional health issues,” she said.
Maine AgrAbility is a nonprofit collaboration of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Alpha One, a group that helps promote independent living for disabled individuals.