The southern region farm and ranch stress assistance network (SR-FRSAN) will strengthen and expand a collaborative, regionally representative network to address the unique stressors faced by…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded North Carolina State University $2.352 million on September 30, 2025, for the Southern Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (SR-FRSAN) under the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network Competitive Grants Program (CFDA 10.525), with performance through September 29, 2027.

SR-FRSAN strengthens and expands a collaborative hub-and-spoke network connecting farmers, ranchers, farm families, and farmworkers to stress assistance programs across 13 Southern states and 2 U.S. territories. North Carolina State University serves as the regional hub, delivering centralized coordination through a Communications Coordinator, Evaluation Specialist, and Project Manager. The project develops and maintains a resource clearinghouse, shared evaluation tools, best-practice briefs, and an inventory of farm stress resources. Regional convenings and monthly meetings facilitate relationship-building and shared governance among land-grant institutions, extension services, farmer advocacy groups, and community-based organizations. Digital infrastructure enables knowledge sharing, and evaluation systems capture baseline data and track engagement outcomes.

Five sub-recipients deliver state-level implementation and specialized services. Iowa State University provides a regional 24/7 hotline serving the Southern region through direct phone, texting, and live chat across 15 participating states and territories. Mississippi State University, as Mississippi's Lead Partner Organization, develops a comprehensive database of farm stress, mental health, and suicide prevention resources. East Carolina University coordinates North Carolina services including the NC Farm Help Line, NC Farm Directory, behavioral health counseling vouchers, peer support, and mental health literacy training through collaboration with FRSAN-South. Virginia Tech, through AgrAbility Virginia in partnership with Virginia State University and Easterseals PORT Health, serves as Virginia's Lead Partner Organization, offering participatory education workshops and Farm Dinner Theater programming. University of Georgia Research Foundation implements awareness-raising activities across Georgia focused on reducing mental health stigma among farmers and farm families. The project supports GIS mapping initiatives engaging youth and explores sustainable resource dissemination models.

Work is performed at North Carolina State University's location in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sub-recipients operating in their respective states as part of the regional network structure. The grant supports up to 30 percent indirect costs under NARETPA limitations.

The southern region farm and ranch stress assistance network (SR-FRSAN) will strengthen and expand a collaborative, regionally representative network to address the unique stressors faced by farmers, ranchers, farm families, and farmworkers across 13 southern states and 2 U.S. Territories. Building on previous partnerships and lessons learned, the project uses a hub-and-spoke network model to engage land-grant institutions, extension services, farmer advocacy groups, and community-based organizations, ensuring both centralized coordination and localized leadership.state-level lead partners will convene local networks, while regional working groups will CO- develop strategies and deliverables, including a resource clearinghouse and shared evaluation tools. The project emphasizes relationship-building, shared governance, and visibility of partners' contributions through regional convenings, monthly meetings, and recognition campaigns. Technical assistance, training, and seed funding will build partner capacity to deliver culturally relevant, locally grounded farm stress support resources and training. A communications coordinator, evaluation specialist, and project manager will ensure smooth operation, while digital infrastructure will facilitate knowledge sharing.evaluation and reporting systems will capture baseline data, track engagement and measure outcomes. Partner input will inform both strategy and resource development, including best- practice briefs, inventory of farm stress resources, and curated educational training. Additionally, the project will support a regional 24/7 hotline, explore sustainable models for resource dissemination, and engage youth through GIS mapping initiatives. By fostering collaboration, elevating partner visibility, and embedding continuous learning, SR-FRSAN will strengthen the region's ability to respond to farm stress and promote the resilience and wellbeing of agricultural communities.