Stress can be quietly devastating for farmers and ranchers. The new documentary ‘Legacy’ looks at how to fix that

In The NOCO

Being a farmer or rancher in Colorado means living with uncertainty on a daily basis. Hailstorms, drought and insects can wipe out an entire season of crops. Diseases and predators can devastate livestock without warning.

And then there are other pressures, like holding onto a farm or ranch that’s been in the family for generations so it can be passed on to future family members. Experts say these stresses add up to an almost silent mental health crisis for the agriculture community.

A new documentary film that explores this crisis will screen this weekend at the Breckenridge Film Festival. Legacy shares the stories of several Colorado farmers and ranchers who speak openly about the toll their livelihood can take on their mental health, and why they often struggle to ask for help.

Director Steve Vanderheide joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about the project – and how training more mental health professionals to work with patients in rural areas is crucial.

Legacy screens Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Breckenridge Film Festival. You can find the full schedule here.

Find more information about the Colorado Agricultural Addiction and Mental Health Program (CAAMHP) at campforhealth.org.