High Plains Farm Credit partners with several organizations to offer ag trainings and resources to farmers and ranchers. Resources range from rural mental health programs and networks to business courses that help producers grow their operations.

Educational Resources for Farmers and Ranchers

Tools Created for You and Your Operation

As part of our mission to support farmers and ranchers, High Plains Farm Credit strives to provide resources that are beneficial to our customer-stockholders.

From trainings and connections to manage stress, to business tools for farm growth, to cybersecurity guides that help you stay safe online, these resources are designed with your needs and lifestyle in mind.

Farm Stress Training Program

Rural Resilience

We are excited to announce the availability of a free, online farm stress training program for farmers, ranchers, and rural residents. This program’s goal is to offer mental health resources to rural communities and the agriculture industry.

Develop Skills To:

  • Understand sources of stress
  • Learn the warning signs of stress and suicide
  • Identify effective communication strategies
  • Reduce the stigma related to mental health
  • Connect farmers and ranchers with appropriate resources
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Farming is a stressful job—even in good times.

Rural communities face challenges like isolation, lack of mental health professionals, and perceived stigma around seeking support for mental health concerns. This drives a need for resources to help farmers, ranchers, and rural community members as they manage their own stress and assist their friends and neighbors.

Farm Credit, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and National Farmers Union joined with Michigan State University Extension and University of Illinois Extension to create the Rural Resilience program. This free, private, online training course provides tools for farmers, their families, and their neighbors to cope with mounting stress.

The Rural Resilience online course is free and open to the public. We encourage you to share it widely with anyone who may be interested.

Register today through the Michigan State University Extension program site, linked in the button below.

Mental Health Support Resource

Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

Funded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) supports farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers by providing:

  • Stress management resources

  • Mental health services

  • Crisis assistance

Farmer harvests wheat in a combine, a time that can often be stressful for those in the agriculture industry.

FRSAN works through regional networks and partner organizations to offer hotlines, training, and outreach aimed at reducing stress and improving mental well-being in agricultural communities.

The North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center operates across 12 states with the mission to create and expand stress management and mental health resources for producers across the region.

The FRSAN website offers a list of national resources, as well as state-specific options.

Explore national resources here or Kansas-specific farm resources via the button below.

AgriSafe

AgriStress Provider Directory

With support from Farm Credit and CoBank, AgriSafe developed the AgriStress Provider Directory, created to assist in finding a provider trained to manage the unique stressors specific to farmers, ranchers and rural residents. Providers are listed in nearly all 50 states.

Group of cowboys riding horses through an open pasture, highlighting the importance of connection and community during stressful times in agriculture.

Working in agriculture comes with unique stressors, a fact the counselors listed in the AgriStress Provider Directory understand. These licensed professional are trained in the situations in agriculture that are uncommon in other industries.

The AgriSafe team is available for training sessions and workshops, both virtually and in person.

Find a professional trained in farmer and rancher mental health via the link below.

AgBizInfo

Farm Credit University

Ready to take your farm or ranch to new heights? These college-level, online courses are designed specifically for producers looking to grow their operations and better manage their finances.

Grow Your Knowledge of:

  • Financial documentation

  • Cash flow planning

  • Growth and transition management

  • Strategic business planning

  • Leadership, communication, and ethics

Farmer in a tractor lines up large, round hay bales as the sun sets over a cold evening.

The path to financial success for your farm or ranch starts with a plan… and this is the resource to help you put it all together.

Whether your farming story goes back generations or has recently begun, building a strong foundation is key. As a proud member of the AgBizInfo community, Farm Credit University offers several college-level courses with the convenience of online learning. Course options include:

  • Ag Biz Basics
  • Ag Biz Planner
  • Farm Business Transition Workbook

AgBizInfo offers access to Farm Credit University courses through their website. You can review detailed information on each course, available materials, and included modules.

Learn more about each course and access paid and free materials by clicking the button below!

Cybersecurity Resources

Tips and Training for Staying Safe Online

The cybersecurity statistics can be scary… but not when you know how to stay safe. This online collection of resources is here to help!

Did You Know…?

  • Nearly one billion emails were exposed in a single year, affecting one in five Internet users.
  • Data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.35 million in 2022.
  • The first half of 2022 saw 236 million ransomware attacks globally.
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The more you conduct business online, the more important it is to exercise vigilant cybersecurity.

This fact is an emphasis here at High Plains Farm Credit. We are consistently training our staff and assessing their knowledge of cybersecurity.

As you make cybersecurity an essential part of your online business, we’re happy to share a collection of easy-to-follow resources and guides.

This free collection of resources is available through the National Cybersecurity Alliance. Keep these topics top of mind as you share the resource with others!

And if you’re looking for more tips, straight from the High Plains Farm Credit team, we’ve got you covered.

Check out these resources!