Remington Rice, here on his Benzie County farm, runs a Michigan
State University program to help farmers cope with stress and avoid
suicide. Now that program is in danger of losing state support.
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Ron French
Bridge Michigan
Counseling and suicide prevention efforts for Michigan farmers would shrink by more than half next year if proposed state budgets are adopted.
Farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in Michigan and the nation. The state has $112,000 to fight the crisis for four years, but that money isn’t in the budget proposals of the House, Senate or Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Lawmakers face an Oct. 1 deadline to approve a budget.
Without state money, the program would lose 56 percent of its total funding, hobbling services that “saves lives,” said Remington Rice, who leads the managing farm stress program for the Michigan State University Extension.
“I’ve had farmers tell me that our counseling program saved their farm and likely saved their life,” Rice told Bridge Michigan. “When do we tell farmers that we can’t support counseling anymore?”
There are 44,000 farms in Michigan with about 150,000 workers. Family farm owners often work seven days a week and face economic uncertainty not faced by those receiving a regular paycheck. Those factors can lead to high levels of stress, while access to mental health services is limited in most rural areas of the state.
According to the National Rural Health Association, farmers are more than 3.5 times as likely to die by suicide as the general public.
Michigan data indicates agriculture, forestry and fishing employees had the highest suicide rate among men in 2022, the latest year for which data is available. The 14 suicides that year in those fields account for a rate of 107.6 per 100,000 workers, more than twice that of all occupations.
“Coming from a family of farmers, I know the pressures that come with a career in agriculture,” Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring said in a statement. “Unpredictable weather, rapid fluctuations in global markets, and labor shortages can produce uncertainty and extreme stress in the agriculture community.”
Since 2020, MSU Extension has offered help to stressed farmers through its Legacy of the Land program, which includes business management training and teletherapy.
The program has paid for 550 therapy visits and reached over 10,000 people across Michigan through educational presentations and workshops.
“For farmers, mental health is just as essential as crop health or market access,” said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. “When Michigan producers face mental health challenges, the impact ripples through families, communities and our entire food system.”
Without state support, the program would have $90,000 in federal funding for its services. That would likely result in a rationing of counseling services, Rice said.
“Since 2020, we’ve never needed to turn away a Michigan farmer seeking counseling services,” Rice said. Without state funds, “we will pay for services on a first-come first-serve basis. We will likely need to limit our services at some point without state support.”
If money runs out, the program would still refer farmers to counseling services, but they would need to pay for it themselves, Rice said.
Legacy of the Land would also cut back educational materials, social media marketing and staff time to work on the project.
Sen. Roger Victory, R-Georgetown Twp., who has been a longtime advocate for the farm stress management program, said there is “a lot of uncertainty in the budget process and negotiations are ongoing.
“The Farm Stress Management program is important for our agricultural community, and I hope to see funding to support the initiative included so we can address the challenges facing our farmers,” Victory said.
“I know the grants were slated as one-time grants, so the legislative wording did not include future renewal,” Rice said. “Of course, we had hoped the state would continue seeing this as a priority.”
By Ron French
Bridge Michigan
Counseling and suicide prevention efforts for Michigan farmers would shrink by more than half next year if proposed state budgets are adopted.
Farmers have one of the highest rates of suicide in Michigan and the nation. The state has $112,000 to fight the crisis for four years, but that money isn’t in the budget proposals of the House, Senate or Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Lawmakers face an Oct. 1 deadline to approve a budget.
Without state money, the program would lose 56 percent of its total funding, hobbling services that “saves lives,” said Remington Rice, who leads the managing farm stress program for the Michigan State University Extension.
“I’ve had farmers tell me that our counseling program saved their farm and likely saved their life,” Rice told Bridge Michigan. “When do we tell farmers that we can’t support counseling anymore?”
There are 44,000 farms in Michigan with about 150,000 workers. Family farm owners often work seven days a week and face economic uncertainty not faced by those receiving a regular paycheck. Those factors can lead to high levels of stress, while access to mental health services is limited in most rural areas of the state.
According to the National Rural Health Association, farmers are more than 3.5 times as likely to die by suicide as the general public.
Michigan data indicates agriculture, forestry and fishing employees had the highest suicide rate among men in 2022, the latest year for which data is available. The 14 suicides that year in those fields account for a rate of 107.6 per 100,000 workers, more than twice that of all occupations.
“Coming from a family of farmers, I know the pressures that come with a career in agriculture,” Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring said in a statement. “Unpredictable weather, rapid fluctuations in global markets, and labor shortages can produce uncertainty and extreme stress in the agriculture community.”
Since 2020, MSU Extension has offered help to stressed farmers through its Legacy of the Land program, which includes business management training and teletherapy.
The program has paid for 550 therapy visits and reached over 10,000 people across Michigan through educational presentations and workshops.
“For farmers, mental health is just as essential as crop health or market access,” said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. “When Michigan producers face mental health challenges, the impact ripples through families, communities and our entire food system.”
Without state support, the program would have $90,000 in federal funding for its services. That would likely result in a rationing of counseling services, Rice said.
“Since 2020, we’ve never needed to turn away a Michigan farmer seeking counseling services,” Rice said. Without state funds, “we will pay for services on a first-come first-serve basis. We will likely need to limit our services at some point without state support.”
If money runs out, the program would still refer farmers to counseling services, but they would need to pay for it themselves, Rice said.
Legacy of the Land would also cut back educational materials, social media marketing and staff time to work on the project.
Sen. Roger Victory, R-Georgetown Twp., who has been a longtime advocate for the farm stress management program, said there is “a lot of uncertainty in the budget process and negotiations are ongoing.
“The Farm Stress Management program is important for our agricultural community, and I hope to see funding to support the initiative included so we can address the challenges facing our farmers,” Victory said.
“I know the grants were slated as one-time grants, so the legislative wording did not include future renewal,” Rice said. “Of course, we had hoped the state would continue seeing this as a priority.”
Huizenga Introduces Legislation to Pay ICE, Border Patrol, and DHS Officers if Shutdown Occurs
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Twp., has introduced legislation that ensures Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement personnel defending U.S. borders and interior are actively paid in the event of a government shutdown.
Past shutdowns have forced critical homeland security personnel to work without pay, undermining morale and readiness in their mission to secure the border, address illegal immigration, stop the flow of illegal drugs, and protect commerce. The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026 is modeled after the Pay Our Troops Act, which Huizenga cosponsors.
“We cannot allow the mission-critical and dangerous work of our ICE Agents, Border Patrol Officers, and DHS law enforcement to be held hostage by Washington gridlock driven by partisan politics,” Huizenga said. “The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act recognizes that law enforcement personnel at the Department of Homeland Security shouldn’t have to worry about their family’s next paycheck while bravely securing our borders, cracking down on illegal drug trafficking, and keeping communities across America safe.”
The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026 covers DHS Law Enforcement, including employees classified in series:
• 1801: General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance (e.g., USCIS Immigration Officers, ICE Deportation Officers, TSA Federal Air Marshals)
• 1802: Transportation Security Officers
• 1811: Criminal Investigators (e.g., HSI Special Agents, ICE Special Agents, U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigators)
• 1881: CBP interdiction
• 1895: Customs and Border Protection Officers
• 1896: U.S. Border Patrol Agents
• 2181: DHS Aircraft Operators
• 0083: Secret Service Police
The legislation also covers staff necessary to carry out the payments, as well as U.S. Coast Guard members, civilian personnel, and contractors if not otherwise covered by existing law.
The legislation applies to any shutdown in fiscal year 2026 (and into fiscal year 2027 if necessary) until authority ends on Jan. 1, 2027, unless Congress acts earlier.
Past shutdowns have forced critical homeland security personnel to work without pay, undermining morale and readiness in their mission to secure the border, address illegal immigration, stop the flow of illegal drugs, and protect commerce. The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026 is modeled after the Pay Our Troops Act, which Huizenga cosponsors.
“We cannot allow the mission-critical and dangerous work of our ICE Agents, Border Patrol Officers, and DHS law enforcement to be held hostage by Washington gridlock driven by partisan politics,” Huizenga said. “The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act recognizes that law enforcement personnel at the Department of Homeland Security shouldn’t have to worry about their family’s next paycheck while bravely securing our borders, cracking down on illegal drug trafficking, and keeping communities across America safe.”
The Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026 covers DHS Law Enforcement, including employees classified in series:
• 1801: General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance (e.g., USCIS Immigration Officers, ICE Deportation Officers, TSA Federal Air Marshals)
• 1802: Transportation Security Officers
• 1811: Criminal Investigators (e.g., HSI Special Agents, ICE Special Agents, U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigators)
• 1881: CBP interdiction
• 1895: Customs and Border Protection Officers
• 1896: U.S. Border Patrol Agents
• 2181: DHS Aircraft Operators
• 0083: Secret Service Police
The legislation also covers staff necessary to carry out the payments, as well as U.S. Coast Guard members, civilian personnel, and contractors if not otherwise covered by existing law.
The legislation applies to any shutdown in fiscal year 2026 (and into fiscal year 2027 if necessary) until authority ends on Jan. 1, 2027, unless Congress acts earlier.
Slagh Cancels Local Office Hours
State Rep. Brad Slagh, R-Zeeland, has cancelled the office hours he was planning to hold in Zeeland, Hudsonville and Jenison next Monday.
In an email to the Zeeland Record, Slagh said that he has to be in Lansing that day because of the potential of a state government shutdown, as the Legislature needs to pass a budget by an Oct. 1 deadline.
Slagh was to meet Zeeland constituents at Frank’s Restaurant downtown. No new date has been set for the representative to hold local office hours. Those interested in scheduling a time to speak with Slagh outside of his office hours can call his office at (517) 373-0841 or email Bradley Slagh@house.mi.gov.
In an email to the Zeeland Record, Slagh said that he has to be in Lansing that day because of the potential of a state government shutdown, as the Legislature needs to pass a budget by an Oct. 1 deadline.
Slagh was to meet Zeeland constituents at Frank’s Restaurant downtown. No new date has been set for the representative to hold local office hours. Those interested in scheduling a time to speak with Slagh outside of his office hours can call his office at (517) 373-0841 or email Bradley Slagh@house.mi.gov.
Waste Hauler Dumped After 30 Years of Serving Portage
By Scott McClallen
Michigan Capitol Confidential
A local trash hauler that has served Portage for 30 years will soon have to cease operations in the city after local officials granted an exclusive contract to an out-of-state corporation.
The city of Portage awarded a five-year, $29 million contract to Waste Management, based in Houston. The contract, which takes effect March 1, prevents residents from choosing which company takes their trash. Four companies — Waste Management, GFL, Best Way Disposal, and Republic — bid the contract.
“That means in March, they’re going to take our 71 percent [market share] and give it to Waste Management. And we won’t be able to haul for our customers anymore,” Jessica Routley, general counsel for Best Way Disposal, told Michigan Capitol Confidential in a phone interview.
Michigan communities handle trash systems in various ways. Some directly employ people who run their waste-hauling trucks. In others, residents pick what trash company they want.
But in the Kalamazoo County city of Portage, the government will force residents to use one provider — whether they want it or not, according to Chris Phillips, manager at Best Way Disposal of Michigan.
The city of Portage collects tax dollars for recycling through Best Way Disposal, a contract the company has held for nine years.
Waste Management offered the strongest bid and the lowest monthly waste removal rate, according to a webpage on the city of Portage website. Waste Management will charge $14.04 for residential customer garbage collection, $10.50 for yard waste and $4.69 for recycling services for the first year, the city says, adding that the monopoly contract will reduce wear on streets and maintenance costs.
“The city is not aiming to eliminate competition but to streamline and improve waste services through a single-hauler system,” according to the city website. “All waste haulers were offered the opportunity to submit their best price. This approach allows for better oversight, consistent service quality, and cost savings for residents by negotiating bulk contracts.”
But the new contract kills market competition, Phillips said.
“The one thing you lose in a franchise is competition,” Phillips said. “Right now, if Best Way isn’t living up to our name, then people are free to go to another company that can service their needs better than we can. In a franchise, if you’re unhappy with what you’re getting, you have no recourse. You can either have service or not have service.”
The city didn’t get proper feedback before making the change, Phillips said.
A city of Portage questionnaire polled 1,700 residents in 2020, finding that 54 percent of people did not want a single hauler. When asked whether they were satisfied with the quality of waste-removal services, 88 percent said yes.
“We weren’t really given a choice. Either you put in a bid and try to defend your 71 percent or you walk away and lose it all,” Phillips said. “30 years of investment in acquiring those customers, the equipment to service the community of Portage, is gonna go away.”
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Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Op-Ed: League of Women Voters Weighs In on Voting Petitions
(The following is a letter to the editor that was submitted by the League of Women Voters in opposition to recent petitions on voting rights in Michigan.)
To The Editor:
Lately, you may have noticed petitions being circulated in the Holland Area by “Americans for Citizens Voting - Michigan” or “Committee to Protect Voters’ Rights”.
These harmful anti-voter petitions would make it more difficult for eligible U.S. citizens to vote, primarily by requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. The League of Women Voters of Michigan, as well as the League of Women Voters of the Holland Area, strongly oppose them.
Do not be fooled by the petitions’ misleading names. State and federal laws already prohibit non-citizens from voting. These proposals would entangle voters in unnecessary red tape, making it more difficult for all of us to register to vote.
If you see these petitions, decline to sign. Petition circulators can legally say anything to get you to sign. Always read the fine print.
In recent years, Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved ballot measures that have modernized our elections, improved access to the ballot box, and advanced our voting rights.
Let’s not derail our progress. We must keep our elections free and fair.
We say NO to deceitful anti-voter petitions that will silence our voices.
Rose Southard
President
League of Women Voters of the Holland Area
