By Taylor Sewell
Following the Mind Your Melon Foundation’s inaugural Think Outside the Barn (TOTB) event, I am more hopeful than ever for the future of mental health in agriculture. The event was held in May at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, Florida.
While framed as a benefit, the event served as a deeper extension of the organization’s vision: To build community around the complex stressors tied to agricultural life. The evening brought together people from across the agricultural spectrum, including farmers, ranchers, advocates and industry leaders with a shared commitment to supporting mental health. After more than five years of advocacy, Mind Your Melon leadership (myself and Marshal Sewell) expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support.
In addition to unveiling its strategic goals, the foundation shared insights from its recently released Mind Your Melon Farmer Wellbeing Survey. This groundbreaking study (the first of its kind in Florida) has been instrumental in shaping the foundation’s direction and ensuring its efforts are data-informed. The organization extends sincere thanks to all who took the time to complete the survey. It was long. It covered difficult topics. But it was necessary.
The TOTB event, held during Mental Health Awareness Month, provided a platform to present background and findings from the Mind Your Melon Farmer Wellbeing Survey.
Modeled after a similar study conducted in Georgia through Mercer University, this initiative was part of a broader effort by the American Farm Bureau Federation to expand mental health research across states. Florida, with its diverse agricultural landscape, was a logical next step. Mind Your Melon helped lead the charge alongside Florida Farm Bureau and the University of Florida’s Center for Leadership.
Thanks to strong participation from across Florida’s agricultural communities, nearly 700 individuals completed the survey. Participants represented a wide array of commodities and products (about 20 different markets) and over 40 industry and trade associations. Respondents came from 56 counties, with a near-even split between male and female participants. Most identified as owners, operators or farm managers, offering a grounded, grassroots look into the realities of those at the heart of Florida agriculture.
Survey feedback has played a key role in shaping the foundation’s evolving strategy. At the event, we shared the organization’s high-level plans: emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are and partnering directly with Florida’s agricultural community.
The foundation aims to be a statewide thought leader in mental health and agriculture, fostering collaboration and identifying new approaches to resources. It will look beyond traditional services and expand access to resources that address stress and risk mitigation, which can often be the root causes of many mental health challenges.
Raising awareness and building community will remain a top priority. The popular Mind Your Melon podcast will continue highlighting resources and sharing stories from across the industry. Additionally, a new initiative was announced: a partnership with Moth + Flame, a virtual reality (VR) company currently developing suicide prevention training for the U.S. Department of Defense.
With this collaboration, the Foundation will fundraise over the coming year to create agriculture-specific VR training modules. These tools will be introduced at workshops and events to help industry professionals gain skills in navigating difficult mental health conversations. The goal is to offer an innovative, accessible resource that can make a real difference across the ag sector.
Thinking Outside the Barn wasn’t just a one-time gathering. It marked the beginning of a movement. The Mind Your Melon Foundation is committed to continued advocacy, innovation and connection as it works to improve mental health outcomes for Florida’s agriculture community. Together, we’re not just starting conversations. We’re building solutions.
Taylor Sewell is executive director of the Mind Your Melon Foundation.
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