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To remind farmers that help is just a phone call or text away, Sumter County Farm Bureau and Everglades Equipment Group in Florida partnered to put a decal with the 988 suicide prevention and lifeline hotline in every Everglades John Deer cab tractor sold throughout the state.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the United States.
“Farmers face everyday challenges that can take a toll on mental well-being,” James Sutton, Sumter County Farm Bureau president, said when the partnership was launched. “Extreme weather events, financial uncertainty, unstable markets and labor shortages are just some of the stressors farmers and ranchers face. By incorporating mental health awareness into the everyday environment of farms, we hope to build a culture where everyone will recognize that it’s ok not to be ok and to ask for help.”
Tommie Peebles III, site manager of Everglades Equipment Group in Leesburg, Florida, said his company was honored to partner with Farm Bureau to address mental health in the agricultural community.
“By leveraging the visibility of John Deere tractors, we have an opportunity to reach farmers statewide and ensure they know where to turn for help. If we can save one person, it’s a success,” he said.
In addition to the 988 decals, Farm Bureau created a companion flyer that provides signs to look for when someone may be hurting and includes the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline call or text number and resources such as the AFBF Farm State of Mind Resource directory. Florida Farm Bureau also promoted the program and farmer mental health resources via their Facebook account.
The 988 decal program partnership with Everglades Equipment Group garnered Sumter County a 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation County Activities of Excellence Award. Sumter County and the other CAE winners displayed their winning activities at the AFBF Convention in San Antonio, Texas, earlier this year.
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